Dubai, Jan 17 (IANS/WAM): Emirates airline, an official FIFA worldwide partner, has announced that Brazilian football legend Pele will be one of its Global Ambassadors.

The partnership was announced at a media conference in Dubai Thursday, which brought Pele to the home of Emirates airline.

"Pele is a global icon. He is recognised, respected, and an inspiration to people around the world,” Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, divisional senior vice-president for commercial operations in Emirates airline, said

“He represents the best values of 'the beautiful game' of football, not only because he was a great player, but also because he uses the power of sports to connect people - with each other, with communities, and with opportunities,” he added.

On his part, Pele said: “I see a thriving city (Dubai) with great infrastructure for tourism and business, capable of welcoming the world and connecting with the world... My wish is that the FIFA World Cup will help unleash and showcase this same potential for Brazil."

This announcement marks the second time the airline has worked with a global ambassador to complement its FIFA World Cup campaign, the first being Franz Beckenbauer during the 2006 tournament in Germany.

As part of the agreement the two parties will work together on a number of initiatives over the coming months.