RIBEIRAO PRETO, Brazil -- Two youths ran onto the pitch toward the end of France's World Cup training session on Friday -- one of them because he wanted to kiss striker Karim Benzema's foot.
The first youth sprinted toward Real Madrid striker Benzema and was intercepted by two security officials, who led him away. He was then taken for questioning by police for about 30 minutes before being released.
''The boy told the police officers that he wanted to kiss Benzema's foot,'' Major Paulo Cesar Belonci said through a translator. ''It was just a joke, but he could have been hurt by trying to jump the gap around the field.''
The field inside Botafogo's Santa Cruz stadium is circled by a large ditch, almost like a medieval moat, with the very intention of preventing intruders.
''The boy didn't commit any crime,'' Belonci said. ''He was just taken to the police so we could inform his father of what he had done.''
Moments later, the second youth -- wearing a Manchester United shirt -- tried to take a photo with his camera phone before also being led away by security.