Gadaffi buys stake in Juventus

ROME, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Libya wants 20 percent of Italian soccer club Juventus as part of a plan to develop the country's soccer talent, the Juventus-supporting son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was quoted as saying on Thursday. Earlier this week, Juventus said the Libyan Arab Foreign Investment Company had bought a 5.3 percent in it -- worth around 23 million euros at current share prices. "The current stake that we own is just a starting point as over the next few years we are seeking to hold 20 percent of the shares," al-Saadi Gaddafi said in an interview with sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. "This cannot be considered a financial deal. Libya believes in sport and in its youth and Juventus will help us to develop the enormous potential of our football," he told the newspaper. "We really want to qualify for the 2006 World Cup."

The 28-year-old has played for Libya's national soccer team and runs a leading Libyan squad. "When I was born I was a fan of Juventus and that was reinforced by the fantastic footballers who took over from Platini: Baggio, Del Piero and Zinedine Zidane," he said in the interview. "I was sad when Zidane, an Arab and Muslim like me, left for Real Madrid. Pavel Nedved? I'm not too excited by him; I prefer Zambrotta and Edgar Davids," Gaddafi said. Gaddafi also revealed his father was a big fan of Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who plays for rivals Inter Milan. "On Sunday I will be in Milan with Ronaldo (for a television programme)," he said. "I'm also an attacking number 10 and I'll ask him for some advice and an autograph for my father, who loves football but supports only Libya."