Melbourne, Dec. 12 (ANI): Soccer great and FIFA delegate Franz Beckenbauer has described Australia’s 2018-2022 World Cup bid as “perfect” and rated its possibility of hosting the tournament as “very, very realistic”.

Beckenbauer is a member of FIFA’s 24-man panel that, this time next year, will determine the host nations for both tournaments.

“In terms of Australia’s bid, I think it’s a great bid. It’s perfect,” Beckenbauer told The Daily Telegraph.

“And you also have the support of some very, very experienced people who know exactly how the bidding process works and what it takes to be successful,” he added.

He was alluding to Andreas Abold, the man behind the successful bids by Germany in 2006 and South Africa in 2010, who has been recruited to consult FFA.

Beckenbauer suggested Australia’s best chance would be hosting the 2022 tournament.

“To be realistic, the Europeans are trying very hard to get the World Cup back to their continent in 2018 after two consecutive World Cups going elsewhere,’ he said.

“But to be honest I’m not sure how it will work, but for Australia if it’s not 2018, then for 2022 there’s a very, very realistic chance of course.’ (ANI)