Jordaan hails World Cup final as outstanding success
Tuesday 13, July 2010
2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Organising Committee Chief Executive Officer Danny Jordaan hailed the final match of the first FIFA World Cup on African soil as an outstanding success.
As fans cheered both teams long after the end of the match, Jordaan described the bittersweet emotions which gripped him at the final whistle.
“Half of me feels like the Netherlands and the other half of me feels like Spain. But it’s just incredible. We have come to the end in such spectacular fashion and the world has taken note that this country has great capacity and great capability to deliver. It was a wonderful final, a wonderful closing ceremony and the crowd in the stadium was just marvellous.
The stadium looked beautiful – I don’t think I have seen a stadium look like that anywhere in the world. I am sure that the millions watching throughout the globe will be hugely impressed with what has happened here tonight.”
Jordaan also took the opportunity to highlight the significance of former State President Nelson Mandela’s presence at the stadium ahead of the kick-off.
“That was wonderful, I met Mandela at the car and the first thing he said to me was ‘Danny, I am very happy to be here’, and he had a huge smile on his face. That he came to wave to the people of our country was very special. We will be eternally grateful for him gracing this wonderful moment.”
A capacity stadium watched the final at Soccer City and witnessed Spain’s defeat of the Netherlands to win their first FIFA World Cup.
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