That's A World Cup Wrap

Best Stadium

For sheer design value and welcoming atmosphere, I would say Moses Mahbida in Durban gets my vote.

The only shortcoming of this stadium, that I realized most during the Semi-final is the distance to the field when you are sitting behind the goal.

Even Soccer City provides one with greater proximity to the pitch for these category 4 seats.

In terms of spectator value from the cheap seats, it is difficult to beat the vantage point achieved at Ellis Park where at times you feel you are right on top of the pitch. 

Bloemfontein deserves a shout out in terms of the waterfront shopping mall that leads into the stadium and the generally friendly vibe.

Similarly, the fan walk in Greenpoint was probably the most fan centric venue during the pre-match build up.

The new stadiums of Nelspruit and Polokwane, while I fear these may become white elephants, were excellent venues to see Italy and France go down and were more than suitable.

Best Roadtrip

On June 17th, near the conclusion of the Argentina v South Korea match at Soccer City, which despite not scoring a goal, Lionel Messi dominated, I was convinced by some French volunteers to drive to Polokwane, about 300 plus kilometers away from Soweto to watch France v Mexico.

It was a very cold evening in the Limpopo province, but who could give up the chance of this rare World Cup doubleheader.

Having always supported the French teams of Platini and Zidane, one always felt that this current French addition was like the Titanic, waiting for their iceberg.

The Mexicans and their terrific traveling supporters provided such the tonic and thoroughly dispensed with the French ensuring their passage through the knock out rounds and setting up the French implosion to come in the run up to the Bafana Bafana match the following week.

Best Visiting Supporters

Sombreros off to the Mexicans. At every ground we went to, regardless of who was playing we saw Mexican fans who showed the fact that they like to travel and have a passion for the game which goes beyond the support for their side. 

Unlike the Brazilians, the Argentineans and to a certain extent the Dutch, the Mexicans had none of the arrogance of entitlement – that expectation that their team must and should win. 

The Mexicans, passionate and devoted, were happy to see their team progress and with their wrestling masks and Azteca gear where colour, loud and fun. 

An honorable mention goes to the Chilean brigade whose ropey run into the knock out rounds ensured, their travels continued into the tournament’s second half.

Best Group Match

This is a very difficult call.

Probably Bafana Bafana v France, while it was largely a dead rubber, had us believing for a minute, that Bafana could actually get through the knock out rounds on goal difference.

The atmosphere in Bloemfontein was electric and it was great to see the French go down.

Best Overall Team Performance in a Match

While it will go down as a disappointing tournament for them, the Selectao of Brazil played absolutely sublime football in demolishing Chile in the Round of 16 at Ellis Park.

Having seen Chile play Spain more closely a few nights early, we were lulled into the false belief that all was rosey in the Brazilian camp and they would glide into the finals dispatching the Dutch and another other followers along the way.

How different the World Cup would have been.

Brazil were devastating on the night and in retrospect, while the Dutch deserved to be in the final, one can’t help thinking that Spain v Brazil was the dream final that the tournament deserved.

Best Knock Out Round Match

While Ghana v Uruguay had the most incidents, the final result left too bitter a taste.

I therefore have to go for Rustenburg and the Round of 16 - Ghana v USA.

I owe much to the USA as the place of my childhood including were I learned to play and love soccer but I have never had much an attachment to the national team.

I wish them well, but they do not inspire me.

Ghana on the other hand, caught our imagination this tournament and promised so much including a dramatic hard fought and deserved victory of the USians.

It was a night for the Stars, as Mick Jagger and Bill Clinton were in the house in this dusty north west town 2 hours outside of Johannesburg.

What a night as the Black Stars prevailed!

Best Goal

While Diego ‘the heartbreaker’ Forlan was devastating in his strikes I witnessed notably at Loftus against South Africa and at Soccer City against Ghana in the quarterfinals from a free kick, the best goal for me was Maicon’s near post strike against the North Koreans.

We were right on top of the corner flag on the side of the pitch where Maicon made his lightening run and watched events unfold as he beat the Korean keeper for pace on his near post the ball somehow swearving into the side netting.

Brilliant Maicon!

Special mention must also go to Tshabalala who opened the tournament's scoring on June 11th with a wonder strike against the Mexicans in the upper left hand corner.

It was such a pity Bafana Bafana was unable to hold on to that lead that opening day, how things could have been different.

I contend that the ball, Jabulani was perfectly fine.

How could Diego Forlan keep it down so well when other were ballooning their efforts. And the Blue Samurais with their free kick goals didn’t have a problem keeping the ball down. The problem with the ball was a lot of hype as far as I am concerned.

Best Players of the Tournament

Diego Forlan deserves all the kudos he is getting. His scissor kick in the 3rd place match against the Germans, showed his consistency throughout the tournament and his ability to score different types of goals, whether it be his penalty against Bafana Bafana, to the free kick against Ghana he consistently delivered through the entire competition.

A special mention to David Villa and his soul patch, he is a gutsy player and his endeavor and fox in the box predator approach, helped Spain out of a few tight spots.

In terms of all around midfield play, you have to give credit to Schweinsteiger and Sneider for their over all box to box play, including Sneider for his contribution in front of goal.

Given the progression of the Spanish to the final, it would be hard to dispute the incredible contribution of Xava and Iniesta and the manner in which they keep control and dictate play.

They dominated the Germans and despite van Bommel best efforts to kick and disrupt them, they got the better of the Dutch in the end.

At the back, I am a big fan of Diego Lugano the captain of Uruguay. He plays with heart, leads from behind by example and helped inspire his team to make an unlikely semi final run.

Maicon remains the best fullback in the competition, a total footballer in defense and attack, and in goal it is difficult to take anything away from Iker Casillas, whose foot save alone on Robben, saved Spain the ignominy of going down to an inferior team.

Best Young Player

I think the trio of Khedira, Ozil and Muller of Ze Germans must get the nod as the outstanding young players of the tournament. 

Muller of course, was known to those who watched Bayern Munich, but I don’t think his pre tournament billing could come close to what he achieved in this tournament.

Muller may have been the difference for Germany in the Durban semifinal, and certainly, his second yellow card against Argentina was one of the most unfortunate decisions of the knock out rounds.

Most Dramatic Moment

Every World Cup has that one moment, that will live on infamy.

The Zidane headbutt in 2006, the Maradona hand of god in 1986, England’s not over the line goal in 1966.

For South Africa, 2010, that moment was the Suarez handball that denied Ghana automatic passage at the end of extra time and ensuring Africa’s first semifinalist.

The Ghana v Uruguay match was both the emotional high and low of the tournament.

Gyan should have made his penalty, Suarez became a hate figure here in South Africa and the bitterness of disappointments of World Cups past all came back to the memories to haunt us.

Best pre-match meal

The Durban semi-final.

Cape Town Fishmarket at the Sun Coast Casino, salmon teriyaki, yum!

It beat the rubbish were forced to eat the stadiums.

What Made it All Worthwhile

Spending precious time with my brother Nikhil and my nephew Andrew and my generous friends, Ebrahim, Mick, Nina, Rika, MS, Adam and Anita.

Thanks for making it all such an incredibly memorable time. And to Ashley for supporting this blog!

As David Byrne sang... once in a lifetime ...

Matches Attended

1. June 11, Soccer City – Bafana Bafana v Mexico (1-1)

2. June 12, Rustenburg – England v USA (1-1)

3. June 13, Durban – Germany v Australia (4-0)

4. June 15, Ellis Park – Brazil v North Korea (2-1)

5. June 16, Loftus – Uruguay v Bafana Bafana (3-0)

6. June 17, Soccer City – Argentina v South Korea (4-1)

7. June 17, Polokwane – Mexico v France (2-0)

8. June 19, Durban – Holland v Japan (1-0)

9. June 20, Nelspruit – New Zealand v Italy (1-1)

10. June 22, Bloemfontein – Bafana Bafana v France (2-1)

11. June 23, Soccer City – Germany v Ghana (1-0)

12. June 25, Loftus – Spain v Chile (2-1)

Round of 16

13. June 26, Rustenburg – Ghana v USA (2-1)

14. June 27, Bloemfontein – Germany v England (4-1)

15. June 28, Ellis Park – Brazil v Chile (3-0)

16. June 29, Cape Town – Spain v Portugal (1-0)

Quarterfinals

17. July 2, Soccer City – Ghana v Uruguay (1-1) 

      (Uruguay on penalties 4-2)

18. July 3, Ellis Park – Spain v Paraguay (1-0)

Semifinals

19. July 7, Durban – Spain v Germany (1-0)

Final 

20. July 11, Soccer City – Spain v Netherlands (1-0)

WHY THE WORLD CUP DIDN'T MAKE SA R93BN RICHER

by Terry Bell

The recent claim by government that R93 billion was “pumped into the domestic economy” was probably correct — and downright misleading. The implication was that the country is now R93 billion richer. It is not. Far from it.

This proclaimed boost to the economy is an estimate of the total amount spent on mounting the World Cup. Some of this was in infrastructure upgrades that were essential and would, in any event, have been necessary; at least a third of the amount is accounted for by the cost of building new stadiums and in stadium upgrades, something that is highly controversial in the sense of necessity or future viability.

A World Cup of Special Type: South African Exceptionalism and the Question of Legacy

JOHANNESBURG. There have been numerous milestones in South Africa’s journey from a pariah state characterized by the most brutal form of settler colonialism and white supremacy to a young democracy struggling to find its rightful place in a the post new world order. The release of Nelson Mandela from Victor Verster prison thirty years ago marked the first chapter in South Africa’s new beginning. As the tide turned against apartheid and power was transferred to a democratic majority through elections in 1994 and the adoption of new egalitarian rights based constitution in 1996, South Africa has laid claim to distinguish itself amongst the community of nations as an exceptional nation. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that followed, to examine atrocities committed under apartheid and during the liberation struggle, has been held up as a model process for transitional justice.

One of the roots to the notion of South African exceptionalism springs from the notion developed by the former General Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) Joe Slovo that South Africa had suffered a colonialism of a ‘special type.’ Developed in a treatise called, ‘The Road to South African Freedom: Programme of the South African Communist Party, published in 1963, colonialism of a special type posed the view that despite the fact that South Africa was an independent republic and not a colonial territory, with power concentrated in the hands of a white minority government, South Africa was for all intents and purposes still a colony. South Africa was an exceptional case and liberation in South Africa was not going to come through the lowering of one colonial flag and the raising of a new democratic flag, handshakes all around. Rather, the unseating of a settler minority government would come through a protracted struggle involving an exile armed struggle, an internal resistance movement, and a growing tide of international condemnation and solidarity.

Today is the Day

17:30. SOWETO. SOCCER CITY, SOUTH AFRICA. Greetings from the Media Centre at Soccer City. Arrived in Soweto a couple hours back to watch the build up. Wow, I can't believe today has finally arrived, its like Christmas, New Years and the FA Cup final all rolled up into one. 

I have seen every World Cup final since 1978 in various far flung places, but I never imagined myself tapping out this entry 3 hours before kick off at the ground. I just saw Arsene Wenger, hardly a wax statute, he looked... well, a very much like Arsene Wenger, wearing comfy sneakers nogal.

There was a sea of orange on the way through, the Dutch announce their presence less with their noise and more with the appearance.

Time is too tight, I cant miss Shakira. I don't really know what to expect from this match but I know what I am hoping for... namely, an open honest to and fro attacking brand of football from both sides, goals and lead changes a la Uruguay v Germany. Give us a spectacle that matches the dignity of this tournament up to this point. Therefore, no hand balls on the line, no diving, no penalties and no dodgy refereeing decisions. May the best team win and may the best players play to the potential they have shown through out the tournament namely, David Villa and Wesley Sneider.

Got to sign off and get to Shakira!! Go Oranje!

NY Times: South Africans Put Past Aside

By J LONGMAN

JOHANNESBURG. Given that the Dutch are former colonial masters and their descendants instigated the harsh racial policies of apartheid, one might think that many South Africans, blacks especially, would not cheer for the Netherlands against Spain on Sunday in the World Cup final. 

In truth, many will not, but mostly for reasons involving the aesthetics of soccer, not a half-century of state-mandated oppression of blacks. 

Sceptics drowned out by another rainbow nation miracle

South Africa rises above all the pre- tournament pessimism to host a successful and memorable event.  
David Smith in Johannesburg, 11 July 2010

No one died. No one was stabbed, no one was kidnapped and no one took a wrong turn into the clutches of a  gang of garrotters. One American tourist did get shot - in the arm - but he wasn't here to watch the World Cup.

History will show that South Africa defied fears of violent chaos to host one of the best-attended World Cups ever. It has put Africa on the global sporting map in a way which seemed unthinkable only six months ago when Togo's footballers were ambushed by machine-gun fire before the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola. Afro-pessimism spiked, with a prophet of doom in the unlikely shape of then Hull City manager Phil Brown questioning whether South Africa was up to the job.