Ryan Giggs calls for better football infrastructure in Pakistan

Former Manchester United and Wales winger Ryan Giggs was impressed with Pakistan youngsters' love for football after seven iconic players, also including Ronaldinho, featured in a two-game exhibition series in the country.

Thousands of football fans watched the stars in two seven-a-side matches at Karachi and Lahore. The games were also broadcast live on television.

Ronaldinho 7 defeated Giggs 7 in both matches, securing the winner's trophy for the Brazilian after he led his team to a 2-0 victory in Lahore on Sunday.

Thousands of football fans watched Giggs and other stars in matches in Karachi and Lahore

Dutchman George Boateng, former France internationals Robert Pires and Nicolas Anelka, former England goalkeeper David James and Portugal's Luis Boa Morte were the other foreign players.

The tour was organised to promote football in Pakistan, which is the No 200-ranked team out of 211 in the FIFA standings.

The lack of infrastructure in Pakistan was made evident by the fact that the first match at Karachi on Saturday night was played on an astro-turf pitch in a hockey stadium.

It was also pointed out by Giggs, who said: 'Football is huge here especially with the younger generation.

'I think Pakistan are at 200 in the world, so to bring it down you need infrastructure and also the best coaches in the world to teach the players how to play.'

Security had been a major concern for foreign teams travelling to Pakistan over the past eight years since a Sri Lanka cricket team bus was attacked at Lahore in 2009.

Only Zimbabwe's cricketers played a short three-match one-day international series in Lahore in 2015 since. Pakistani soldiers provided security for the seven footballers during the tour.

'We want to give a message that Pakistan is a safe country to visit,' Giggs said in the presence of an armed escort.

After the second game, Ronaldinho posted a photo with the trophy and a one-minute video on Twitter. 'Thanks Karachi! Thanks Pakistan!' he said in the message.