Many people were sceptical about South Africa's ability to produce the enthusiastic soccer environment conducive to an event as attended, watched and revered as the World Cup.
After six years, our feverish anticipation can now be put at ease as the long awaited 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament got underway on Friday, 11 June with a glittering ceremony. President Jacob Zuma and FIFA President Sepp Blatter said, "Let the games begin!" and now everybody feels and is enjoying it.
The 2010 World Cup games are currently underway on African soil and at stake is national pride, a battle for soccer supremacy, and the ever-elusive and coveted trophy. Since 1930, the global passion for the game has grown in leaps and bounds and today FIFA's brand enjoys huge reputation, popularity and prestige. Today the World Cup is the most followed, respected, revered and lucrative global sporting event. The event has displayed an incredible power to unite the world's diverse communities. Whilst the undisputed heroes of the World Cup are the stars of the turf, the accompanying social frenzy that seizes the tournament is truly spectacular. This festival of football brings sport, culture, entertainment and business together and thus generating unexpected experience and excitement for visitors and the host country.
With no exception, the 2010 episode of the "globe's game" has brought supercelebrities, presidents, prime ministers, paparazzis, global media, superstar players, great managers, reputable referees, business executives and fanatic followers together to Africa and afforded them an opportunity to revive the celebration atmosphere and renew the spirit of togetherness that South Africans and world communities experienced when Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990 and during the end of the apartheid rule in 1994. It creates a playground for global multi-racial and multi-cultural communities to take an unequivocal stance against racism, xenophobia, and against the third world's exclusion, oppression and exploitation.
After the glitz and the glamour of the 2010 World Cup, Africa would have conveyed the message that the continent is as competent as the rest of the world. From now onwards, I predict that Africa will be perceived as a modern, capable, caring, progressive and reputable continent. And global citizens are going to become more informed about the continent's potentials and strengths.
For now let us celebrate and capture the passion and excitement of the event and share it with the world. Let us enjoy good times for good people in a good place. While wishing the best team to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup, I proudly affirm Africa as a competent member of the global continents and an undisputed winner of the 2010 tournament. Afterall soccer rocks the globe.
