Fabio Cannavaro visits Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Fabio Cannavaro, the Italy's World Cup winning captain in 2006, is on a four-day visit in Cambodia to help boost the country's football sector.

In a press briefing on Monday, Cannarvaro, who arrived here on Sunday, said that it was his first visit to Cambodia. During his stay, he would help promote and support football sector in this Southeast Asian nation.

He added that he would also hold coaching clinic sessions with the Phnom Penh Crown Football Club Elite Academy here and the Cambodia National U-21 team.

The visit was made at the invitation of Phnom Penh Crown Football Club (PPCFC). Rithy Samnang, PPCFC's President, said Fabio Cannavaro is one of the world's greatest football players over the past 20 years and the captain of Italy when they won the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

"Fabio is very keen to raise the profile of the football in Cambodia during his visit, as well as to support disadvantaged children at NGO-Friends International," he said.

Fabio Cannavaro, 39, won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2006, making him the first, and so far, only defender to win the award, according to a PPCFC's press release on Monday.

Cannavaro retired from professional football in 2011 due to an injury.
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Cambodia's ailing former king changes mind about burial and requests cremation

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - Cambodia's ailing former king Norodom Sihanouk has changed his mind and asked that he be cremated after he dies.

The 89-year-old Sihanouk revised an earlier request for a burial, saying he would now prefer to be cremated. The message was posted on his website Saturday.

He asked that his ashes be put in an urn, preferably made of gold, and placed in a stupa at the Royal Palace.

Former aide Sisowath Thomico said Sihanouk wanted to follow the Cambodian and Buddhist tradition of cremation.

Sihanouk has suffered from colon cancer, diabetes and hypertension.

He was a dominant figure in Cambodian politics for six decades but abdicated in 2004, citing poor health, and was succeeded by a son, Norodom Sihamoni. Read more!