ROME: More than 115,000 euros has been raised to construct a pediatric centre in the Democratic Republic of Congo by football fans eager to have their picture taken with the Champions League trophy.

In just two weeks at a branch of the Banco Popolare di Milano in Milan, more than 21,000 people had a snap taken with the trophy Inter Milan won in Madrid in May when they beat Bayern Munich 2-0 in the Champions League final.

Around 1,500 people a day posed and 115,911 euros was raised in donations for the charity project in Goma run by Emergency.

Inter thanked their fans on their website saying "they knew how to turn an extraordinary sporting achievement into a gesture of solidarity."

BDST: 1825hrs, July 23, 2010