Köhler to Play Patron at World Cup

German President Horst Köhler will be the honorary patron of the soccer World Cup 2006, the German Soccer Association (DFB) confirmed on Friday. "We consider it a great honor that the federal president is taking over the patronage of the World Cup," said Franz Beckenbauer, president of the World Cup Organization Committee. "The fact that the highest representative of our country is personally involved, underlines the importance of this unique event," Beckenbauer added.