FIFA name eight footballing legends to assist the Final Draw for the 2018 World Cup in Russia

Eight footballing legends to assist the Final Draw for the 2018 World Cup.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is hoping for a “magical” Final Draw for the 2018 World Cup after the eight high-profile draw assistants were confirmed.

Laurent Blanc, Gordon Banks, Cafu, Fabio Cannavaro, Diego Forlan, Diego Maradona and Carles Puyol, as well as Russian football legend Nikita Simonyan, will all join Gary Lineker in helping draw the groups for Russia 2018.

“The Final Draw is an exciting moment for all of us football fans for obvious reasons. But it is also a magical one because it allows us to look ahead to the big emotions that await us during the World Cup while also bringing the spotlight to those who have made history,” Infantino said on FIFA’s official website.

“It is a great line-up and I am delighted to have FIFA Legends from all of the former World Cup winning countries represented in the Final Draw show.”

Two-time World Cup winner Cafu, who played at four World Cups with Brazil and was also a draw assistant four years ago, is eagerly awaiting the Final Draw in the Russian capital.

“The Final Draw is a magical moment when the whole planet joins in enthusiasm and expectation, so it makes me happy to be a part of that once again,” the former full-back said. “I was fortunate enough to come to Russia several times over the course of this World Cup cycle and I am quite certain that the country will deliver yet another fantastic event in Moscow.” – kickoff.com