FIFA president Sepp Blatter has paid tribute to Associated Press Sports Writer Robert Millward, who died on Thursday while covering the World Cup.

Millward collapsed and died in his Johannesburg hotel room, apparently of natural causes. He was 58.

At a daily briefing on Friday, FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said "let us please think of AP Sports Writer Robert Millward, who as you might know, very sadly passed away yesterday."

He then read the contents of a letter to the AP from Blatter: "I will remember Robert Millward, who was a true connoisseur of sports in general and football in particular. He has always been a dedicated professional who has covered a total number of seven FIFA World Cups."

Maingot then asked journalists to stand for a moment's silence in tribute to the England-based Millward.

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