Leaders and stars jet to South Africa for World Cup final
World leaders and celebrities swarmed Johannesburg on Sunday for the
World Cup finale between the Netherlands and Spain, capping the first
tournament ever held on the continent.
The 2010 host revelled in the last moments of the football spotlight
for a final expected to draw 500 million viewers and a last chance to
showcase an event which has largely conquered sceptics' fears about
South Africa's ability to pull it off.
"We are coming to the end of a historic, vibrant and very African
FIFA Soccer World Cup," said President Jacob Zuma on the eve of the
final.
"As we look forward to the final match between the Netherlands and
Spain, let us pat ourselves on the back for a job well done so far."
Zuma called for celebrations to continue until the last whistle in
Africa's first World Cup.
"Let us keep celebrating, let the vuvuzelas keep blowing and let the
football festival continue at Soccer City and the fan parks until the
final whistle. This has been a truly inspiring, moving and uplifting
month." Tickets to the sold-out final are the hottest in the country,
with the 140- to 900-dollar (110- to 710-euro) seats reselling for up to
2,500 dollars online.
Some fans swam across a crocodile-infested river, tattooed themselves
in sensitive places or waxed their entire bodies in an effort to win
tickets from a local radio station.
The rich, famous and powerful will also be in the stands with FIFA on
Saturday listing 17 heads of state expected, plus two Nobel laureates, a
raft of Hollywood stars, Queen Sofia of Spain as well as Prince Albert
of Monaco - with his South African fiancee.
"Africa can be proud, South Africa even more so and African football
can also be proud," FIFA president Sepp Blatter said ahead of the final.
"We are almost at the end, but I am a satisfied president." The
football body says overall attendance at all World Cup matches has
topped three million, only the third tournament to do so.
Organisers again encouraged fans to arrive early at the showcase
Soccer City stadium after bumper-to-bumper traffic the day of the first
match made many ticket-holders miss the opening ceremony.
Gates will open four hours before the 1630 GMT closing ceremony,
which will feature Colombian superstar Shakira, South African
Grammy-winning vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo and more than 700
performers.
"We're really urging people to arrive early," said Derek Carstens,
marketing chief for the local organising committee.
"We expect a full house, and we're saying to people to come and make
the most of this event."
The South African police (SAPS) said fans without tickets should not
go to the stadium, urging fans to use public transport. J
OHANNESBURG, AFP |
