Years of planning and hard work will culminate on Friday with the start of the FIFA World Cup final at Soccer City in Johannesburg.
Let us enjoy this month long spectacle and give our Team, Bafana Bafana, and the tournament the same support we ask for our beloved Springboks and Rugby. Go Bafana Bafana make us proud.
Peter de Villiers – coach
“We are 100% behind Bafana Bafana. We will show our support by attending their match against Uruguay in Pretoria next Wednesday and each member of our squad has a Bafana jersey that we will wear on the days that they’re playing matches.
John Smit – captain
“It is not often that a Springbok Test will take a back seat to something else. But this certainly is the case with the Soccer World Cup and we gladly accept that. This event is important to South Africa. All the planning has been done and it’s time to show the world what South Africans can achieve.
The 84 490-seater stadium will be packed to capacity, while millions of people from across the world will watch the opening ceremony on television.
The first match, between hosts South Africa and Mexico, kicks off at 16:00.
More than 1 500 artists will take part in the opening ceremony that starts at 14:00.
Zuma told tens of thousands packed into Soweto’s historic Orlando stadium for a star-studded “kick-off” party on Thursday night:
“South Africa is rocking. South Africa is cool.”
Stars included Shakira and the Black Eyed Peas.
Weather Service forecaster Lulama Menze warned spectators that they should dress warmly, because “it will be cold”!
The forecast for Johannesburg is from a night-time low of 3º C to a day-time high of 16º C under cloudy skies.
It is the first FIFA winter tournament in more than three decades, the last time being Argentina in 1978.
The World Cup is being played in nine cities that range from the dry, high altitude of Johannesburg, which can freeze during winter nights, to balmy coastal Durban which has a maximum of 27º C set for Germany against Australia on Sunday.
Youth and experience
All eyes will be on Bafana Bafana on Friday afternoon.
Training camps in Brazil, Germany and South Africa under Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira have reaped reward as the serial losers of last year have gone 12 matches unbeaten.
“We are ready”, says the 67-year-old of a team built around Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar and containing more local-based footballers than originally expected with unfit West Ham striker Benni McCarthy among the casualties.
Mexico look stronger and are more experienced than Bafana Bafana with a potentially potent cocktail of youth and experience captained by occasional Barcelona first-team utility player Rafael Marquez.
No host nation has failed to reach the second round since the World Cup began 80 years ago and three points for Bafana would set them up for a top-two finish and a place among the 16 survivors.
Mandela, headache-inducing plastic vuvuzelas that opponents detest, and a knowledge within the team that an often divided sporting nation has united behind Bafana, may inspire Aaron Mokoena and his team to success.
FIFA president, who is supposed to be neutral, told Bafana Bafana ” on Friday go and get them”.
South Africans were brimming with pride and anticipation on Thursday.
Foreign fans
While the last of the 32 competing teams flew in, the Rainbow Nation was caught up in a wave of euphoria.
As blasts of the ear-splitting vuvuzelas echoed around the country, flag sellers who set up stalls at traffic lights struggled to keep pace with demand and even police officers wore jackets in South Africa’s national colours.
But it won’t all be “local is lekker”. About 300 000 foreign fans are expected in the country for the tournament as well.
Organisers said VIPs at Friday’s opening match would include US Vice-President Joe Biden, UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Mexican President Felipe Calderon.
About 20 African heads of state will also be present, including Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, who is subject to a travel ban from the European Union and United States.
In the only other match of the day, France will be taking on Uruguay in Cape Town.
– News24
Parreira who will be coaching at his sixth World Cup said that Bafana were ready to make the country proud.
Parreira played open cards with the media at his final press conference ahead of the clash against Mexico by announcing his starting X1 against Mexico.
Said Parreira: “I will start with the same 11 that beat Denmark 1-0 (at the Super Stadium) last Saturday.”
Parreira said: “I am more than satisfied with the side that started against Denmark so there is no need to change. I am confident we can deliver the goods.”
Parreira said he will give one piece of important information to his players before the leave the dressingroom on Friday afternoon: “My message to them will be to go out and enjoy the game.”
Skipper Mokoena said that Parreira had given Bafana back their self belief since he took charge of the side last November: “We are more relaxed, much fitter and hungrier. This is a big game of our country.
The fact that only three overseas based players, Mokoena, Pienaar of Everton and Fulham anchorman Dikgacoi are starting the match is testimony to the faith he places on his local based players who he knocked into shape in the three training camps during 2010.
Parreira said he and the players were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support on Wednesday when hundreds of thousands of fans took to the streets of Sandton to cheer on the players in a pre-tournament open bus parade.
“South Africans are similar to Brazilians when it comes to soccer.
The people are in love with Bafana players. They are all celebrities. It was incredible and we are grateful to the nation.
Now it is our turn to deliver.”Parreira said.
The Bafana starting line-up:
Itumeleng Khune, Siboniso Gaxa, Aaron Mokoena (captain), Bongani Khumalo, Lucas Thwala, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Teko Modise, Steven Pienaar, Siphiwe Tshabalala, and Katlego Mphela.
Bafana Bafana will pocket close to R100 million and more than 20 luxury cars if they win the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
het die konsert gekyk en kan se al het hulle net een song gesing het die parlotones ge rock die champions leage en die world cup is twee sokker gebeurtenisse wat almal moet volg
@ superBul:
Will never happen Super 🙂 But if we make the second round it will be a huge success.
@ Winston:
Our celebrations might be over in less than 2 weeks, but i really hope we go to the playoffs.
more super al val ons uit is dit steeds n helse groot geleentheid
Good Morning to all South African Rugby Talkers, today I have my fingers crossed for your team. We have had lots of coverage on our T.V’s about the mounting excitement in your country for the forthcoming matches. I do hope you are able to follow your team for a few matches and enjoy some success.
I have to say ‘GO ENGLAND’…Hope ‘our’ boys have a great tournament!!
Till Later…
Well, good luck Bafana…. make this one count!
Good luck South Africa with hosting the whole tournament, may it be a huge success! This is very important for future world confidence in SA and future investment as well as tourism in SA. May we have a largely crime free and incident free World Cup.
Morning folks, I’ve been waiting for this day for a long, long time and now its finaly here!
I just hope our boys can handle the occasion and the pressure of the nation and continents expectation. They’re up against their toughest opponents first. Forget Uruguay and France, Mexico is the team to watch out for as they have their strongest team in decades.
I’m really sorry that Tshepo Masilela is not 100% fit as we’ll miss his speed at left back especially going forward. But then again Lucas won’t let us down and has been solid in the games leading up to the Cup.
Viva Bafana Bafana – VIVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
There are already vuvuzelas going off in our street!
Most of my suppliers and most big companies are giving staff off early today…. the WHOLE South Africa has bough into this event.
United we stand!
Good Luck SOUTH AFRICA. The vibe is huge here and bigger there.
Teams to watch
Spain
Brazil
Holland
Argentina
Germany
Well Done Bulls. You were great. Next year Sharkies.
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14@ Tripples:
Wat de fok was dit veronderstel om te wees?
dis n vuvuhugger
good luk bafana wys die mesikane hulle het net wille hare en julle het branna in julle are nail die voriners to fe wall
15 jou oningeligde blerrie blou bul supporter 🙂
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BAFANAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA THE SOCCOER WORLD CUP IS HERE.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SOUTH AFRICAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
@ Puma:19 – :blush:
With the excitement another typo meant soccer…hehehe
Back later. Off to the beach front. Just need to see the new refurbished beach. Have my Bafana shirt on. Flags the whole thing. Now need to get a vuvuzela……….hahahaha. Not that I can blow the thing. Just need to have one for the vibe.. 😀
20 hahaha Puma, isn’t the vibe in SA awesome?
@ Tripples:22 – Tripps. It is the BEST LOVING IT. Love your vuvuzelas on post 14. Well done……hehehehe. I need to get myself one.
Okay back later. Off to the beach front.
puma a vuvu makes a very usefull traditional wapon also
Oh, it’s vuvuzelas…
Eishhhhhhh, by the time this World Cup is finished, there’s going to be a few supporters with Vuvuzelas up their riempies….. which has to be removed surgically!
Hehehehe
The song goes:
united we stand, divided we fall.
Good morning all, this is going be one big event! Looking at the footage on TV here it looks like an amazing vibe, here’s hoping that we do well it would be brilliant to get to the next round. Still can’t believe my wee ‘home town’ is going to have some of the games will probably only really sink in when I see it on the TV.
gbs @ 26
hehehe,
i’m developing quite a liking for the sound of the VUVUZELA!! beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeautiful!!
😯 unless its a BLUE vuvuzela of course!! 😀
GO BAFANA BAFANA. Puma got 2 new flags this morning, hub tied them 2 old tv arial on roof, SA flag and Spain, no Danish flags, he recons Denmark kuk lol. Lets see them try steal these ones.
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