JOHANNESBURG - FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Friday defended Real Madrid's world record 80 million pound (S$191 million) swoop for Manchester United's Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Blatter, speaking in the build-up to the Confederations Cup which gets underway on Sunday, said the huge fee proved that football was still an attractive business despite the global financial turndown.

"If we have a good market in football, it means we have a good product. But it is not only a product to sell or to buy, it gives people what they want; and that is emotions and entertainment," said Blatter.

"At the same time as Ronaldo's transfer ten years ago, there was a Picasso painting sold at Sotherby's in London for over 100 million pounds and what happened to it?

"They put it somewhere where no-one could see it or on display at a museum for a short period, but with a football player, you can see him once or twice a week.

"I heard yesterday that you could buy millions of pieces of bread to give to the people for that amount, but entertainment is also food for the people." -AFP