Africa’s First Opens New Chapters in World Cup History
History was made when FIFA President Sepp Blatter against the raging doubts of those who never see anything good in Africa relentlessly backed South Africa to host the first World Cup on African soil. But awarding the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosting rights to Africa was just the beginning of many historic chapters to be written in World football history.
History was being made all along right from singer Shakira twisting and shimmering delightfully to the tune of Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) to open the tournament; to the thunderous shot from Tshabalala to register the first World Cup goal on African soil; and through the awe-inspiring moment of the iconic Nelson Mandela waving gracefully to the crowd at Soccer City Stadium as the Rainbow Nation bid farewell to the watching world in an emotional and electrifying atmosphere to the smashing half-volley strike of Iniesta to claim Spain’s first World Cup trophy.
Before Spain lifted the coveted prize in football for the first time, the Brazilians, the Argentines (led by the flamboyant and larger than life Diego Maradona), the Italians, the French, the sensational Germans, and the overrated and the under-achieving 1966-stuck English had all gracefully or dismally bowed out of the World Cup, setting off parliamentary and presidential inquests in some countries.
With the perennial and quadrennial favorites at home wondering what might have been, it was going to be a history making finale when the Netherlands appearing in their third World Cup finals took on Spain who were making their first appearance at the magnificent calabash-shaped stadium.
The new kings of world football also became the only and first country in the tournament’s 80-year history to go on to win the trophy after shockingly losing their opening match against Switzerland. Even more, the final match produced the most yellow cards shown (fourteen in total – 9 to the Dutch and five to Spain) in a World Cup final.
Long before that, the host nation South Africa, had recorded the unenviable record of becoming the first World Cup hosts country to fail to progress to the second round of the tournament but not after beating a hapless French team to restore some pride to a vuvuzela tooting nation.
Disappointedly, the African witch doctors could not work their magic into football history. The chapter of predicting a first time winner of the World Cup was written by neither the talking heads and pundits nor African fortune tellers, but by Paul the Octopus swamped in Germany.
In the end, Africa’s first World Cup hosting brought Spain its long awaited first trophy, along with many new chapters in World Cup history.
Comments
By george (AGOOGI) on July 12th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
So much was said in the western media and press about the lack of infrastructure and the inability of Africa to successfully host a world cup tournament. Now the dust is settling on undoubtedly one of the most successful world cups in modern history and i find the silence of the same media baffling.Maybe i was expecting too much of the western press to shower praises on an African country, but to be silent on the good work done just because there is nothing to condemn is a bit troubling.It speaks of a deep seated skepticism even of the good things coming out of such a great continent. Maybe now is the time for Africa to start blowing their own horn.BRING OUT THE VUVUZELAS!
By Kofi Aduhene on July 13th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Yeah, SA was not going to be ready; the 2010 World Cup in SA was going to be marred by rampant crime and total disorganization . . . blah blah blah. Even with all the noise about low attendance, SA 2010 recorded the third highest in the tournament’s history.
It was not even minutes after the curtains came down in SA than the NOISE about the next host BRAZIL, being way behind schedule.