Street soccer skills on show in Brazil

Updated 09.30 Thu Nov 20 2008

Keywords: competition, garnier, championship, sao paolo, skills, brazil, street soccer, red bull, football, soccer

Football players have wowed crowds with their impressive range of street soccer skills at the Red Bull championship in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Frenchman Arnaud Garnier earned the right to be called the 'Freestyle Football World Champion' following a thrilling head-to-head duel against Yosuke Yokata of Japan.

More than 138 national qualification competitions in 44 countries took place to find the finaliststo compete at the tournament.

More impressive tricks, flips and kicks are expected at the next edition of the tournament which is scheduled to coincide with the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Champion Mr Garnier said: "I am very happy because just three years ago I begin freestyling, 2006, and I never think I could do what I do now."

"So, I am in Brazil - the home of football, the country of football - and people are crazy about my performance so, I don't believe (it)."