Football world hails epic rescue of young Thai footballers

The football community on Tuesday hailed the rescue of a team of young Thai footballers - but doctors have said the boys will be unable to take up an invitation to attend the World Cup final in Moscow. All 12 members of the Wild Boar football team and their coach, who have now been rescued, need to stay for at least another week in hospital, doctors say, meaning that they have no chance of making Sunday's match.
Last week, FIFA president Gianni Infantino invited the boys to Russia at the cost of football's world governing body. Instead, doctors said that the youngsters will follow the game on TV from their hospital beds - if they manage to stay awake. Kick-off is at 10 pm (1500 GMT) local time.
FIFA, in a statement in Moscow, welcomed the completion of the rescue operation that got worldwide attention and took the life of one diver. The group got trapped in the cave on June 23 after heavy rains caused flooding and cut off their route out. "FIFA would like to express its great joy at the news of the rescue of the 12 young footballers and their coach," the statement said. "We would like to convey our profound gratitude to all persons involved in the rescue operation, which unfortunately took the life of one of the divers. Our thoughts are with his family."
The ruling body said a meeting with Thailand's football federation will take place around Sunday's final in Moscow, while it "will look into finding a new opportunity to invite the boys to a FIFA event to share with them a moment of communion and celebration." Manchester City and England defender Kyle Walker was among the players who welcomed the success of the rescue mission.
"Amazing news that all of the Thai kids are out of the cave safely! I'd like to send out shirts to them! Is there anyone who can help with an address?" tweeted Walker, who is expected to start in Wednesday's semi-final against Croatia in Moscow. The England team tweeted: "Fantastic news that all 12 boys from the Wild Boars football team and their coach have been rescued from the flooded caves in Chiang Rai."
German Bundesliga club Schalke, which comes from Gelsenkirchen, a town with a long mining history, also took to Twitter. "Glueck Auf [Good Luck], WildBoars! All 12 players and their coach have now been rescued from the cave in Thailand. To all the divers, rescue workers and medical professionals who helped save them - you guys are true heroes," Schalke said. And Manchester United have invited everyone to Old Trafford next season, tweeting that they are "relieved to learn that the 12 footballers and their coach trapped in a cave in Thailand are now safe. Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected. "We would love to welcome the team from Wild Boars Football Club and their rescuers to Old Trafford this coming season."