El Hadji Diouf says he admires Ghadafi

Published Apr. 19, 2011 11:08 a.m. ET

foxsports

Two-time African player of the year El Hadji Diouf says he admires Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and feels for the embattled autocrat and his family.

In an interview with Algerian newspaper Le Buteur, the Senegalese striker says he is friends with Ghadafi, ''a man who I have always admired,'' and one of his sons.

Ghadafi is currently trying to put down a rebellion backed by the international community in his country.

While admitting he is not aware of the political situation in Libya, Diouf says ''it must be very hard for Ghadafi and his family.''

Diouf, currently on loan at Rangers from Blackburn Rovers, has often attracted controversy since he joined Liverpool from Lens in 2002, being involved in several incidents on and off the pitch.