After six years of preparation and anticipation, heartbreak and joy, skepticism and optimism the World Cup in South Africa has come to an end. We reflect on the best and the worst of the tournament.
South Africans can hold their heads up proudly after the 32-day, 64-match 2010 Fifa World Cup™ and say “See, told you you could stick your Plan B”, as the tournament was a roaring success on all fronts and rightly earned a ’9 out of 10′ rating from Fifa president Sepp Blatter.
The naysayers were left choking on their words and the organisers and security forces will be patting themselves on the back long after the final bewildered World Cup tourist has left these shores. There was barely a disappointed word to be heard — until the Durban airport fiasco — and Brazil will do well to take a leaf out of SA’s ‘Believe completely in your own abilities, even if the rest of the world doesn’t’ manual.
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More than 2 million fans lined the streets of Madrid to welcome their World Cup heroes back from their successful campaign in South Africa.
The mega-party finished close to midnight on the Explanada del Rey on the banks of the Manzanares river, with players dancing to Queen’s classic We Are The Champions and thanking fans for their support.
Reserve goalkeeper Pepe Reina became an impromptu master of ceremonies, introducing the players to the delighted crowd one by one and cracking jokes about all of them.
Spain won the World Cup for the first time by beating the Netherlands 1-0 in an ill-tempered final Sunday in Johannesburg with an extra-time goal from Iniesta.
Their victory flight from Johannesburg landed three hours behind schedule in Madrid.
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Spain have won the 2010 FIFA World Cup!
European champions Spain looked the more assured early on in the clash at Soccer City as a nervous-looking Dutch side ceded territory to their slick opponents.
Netherlands goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg was forced into a diving save after five minutes when Sergio Ramos headed a Xavi cross goalwards while Spain forward David Villa crashed a volley into the side netting with the goal looming.
However, a series of free kicks and bookings, including two strong challenges by Dutch midfield enforcers Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel, shook Spain out of their rhythm.
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Paul, the German Octopus that have been spot-on with all his predictions thus far in the World Cup (including Germany’s shock defeat to Serbia in the group stages), have predicted that Spain will win the 2010 FIFA World Cup on Sunday when they come up against the Dutch.
Pic: timeslive.co.za
As the 2010 FIFA World Cup draws to a close, the logo for the the next World Cup in 2014 in Brazil was revealed yesterday.
This evening at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, the Official Emblemfor the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil was unveiled in the presence of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Brazil 2014 Organising Committee and FIFA Executive Committee member Ricardo Teixeira, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter as well as former Seleção players Cafu, Carlos Alberto Torres, Romario and 1994 FIFA World Cup winning coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.
Prior to the emblem unveiling, 500 guests, including international media, were treated to a small taste of what they can expect from the first FIFA World Cup in Brazil since 1950. Brazilian music groups Barbatuques and Bossa Cuca Nova and Grammy award-winning singer Vanessa da Mata appeared on stage in an hour-long show hosted by the Brazilian celebrity couple Fernanda Lima and Rodrigo Hilbert.
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Carles Puyol sent Spain through to the 2010 FIFA World Cup with a stunning header and only goal of the match to help La Furia Roja beat Germany 1 – 0 on Wednesday.
The Barcelona centre-back powered home a header from 10 yards from Xavi’s corner 17 minutes from time to send the reigning European champions into their first ever World Cup final.
Holland reached the title game by beating Uruguay 3-2 in Cape Town on Tuesday.
It means there will be a new name on the trophy for the first time since France claimed victory on home soil in 1998.
Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque had sprung a surprise before kick-off by dropping out-of-form Liverpool forward Fernando Torres and replacing him with Barcelona youngster Pedro.
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Holland are in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday after they beat Uruguay 3 – 2 last night.
Goals from Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben secured a semi-final victory over Uruguay in Cape Town and a chance to avenge defeats on the game’s biggest stage in 1974 and 1978.
Bert van Marwijk’s side may not delight like the ‘Total Football’ Dutch teams from the playing days of Johan Cruyff.
But having waited so long, theOranje will care little for that as they prepare to bring their own glow to Johannesburg in a meeting with either Spain or Germany.
Captain Van Bronckhorst brilliantly put his side in front before former Manchester United star Diego Forlan levelled with a goal that ultimately was not quite enough, even though Maximiliano Pereira’s strike gave a glimmer of hope in stoppage time.
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Argentina coach Diego Maradona has apparently stepped down on Monday, although the country’s local football association and a close friend told Reuters he had not resigned.
“It’s done, my chapter has ended,” Cronica newspaper quoted Maradona as saying, two days after Germany’s resounding 4-0 win over Argentina in the World Cup quarter-finals. “I gave everything I had.”
A spokesman for the Argentine Football Association (AFA) said Maradona had not officially resigned and that AFA President Julio Grondona would meet him after the World Cup had finished.
A close friend of Maradona’s told Reuters: “I still can’t confirm it, (the resignation) is something that’s being discussed.”
The friend said Maradona’s decision would be announced during a press conference but he did not say when.
“Diego is at home with his family thinking this over,” he said.
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Brazillian coach Dunga along with his entire technical staff have been dismissed after the side’s quarterfinal exit from the World Cup.
The decision was widely expected after Brazil was beaten 2-1 by the Netherlands in the quarterfinals on Friday. The team took a 1-0 lead through Robinho in the first half, but went on to concede two goals and have a man sent off in a dismal second half performance in Port Elizabeth.
“With the closing of the work cycle that started in August 2006 and ended with the elimination of Brazil from the World Cup in South Africa, the CBF announces the dismissal of the Technical Commission of the Brazilian team,” the federation said in a statement.
It added that a new coach will be appointed before the end of the month.
Local media tipped Mano Menezes, former Brazil player and AC Milan coach Leonardo, and Wanderley Luxemburgo as potential successors to Dunga.
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Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has suspended the Super Eagles from international competition for two years following their poor performance at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
“Mr President has directed that Nigeria will withdraw from all international football competition for the next two years to enable Nigeria to reorganise its football,” Ima Niboro, Jonathan’s senior communications adviser, told reporters.
“This directive became necessary following Nigeria’s poor performance in the ongoing Fifa World Cup,” he said.
Nigeria were knocked out in the first round.
After meeting the country’s World Cup organising committee, Jonathan also said the accounts of the committee should be audited.
“If any financial misappropriation is discovered, all officials responsible will be held accountable,” Niboro said.
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