FIFA’s 2010 World Cup in South Africa is now a footnote in history. Most of the players are off on vacation. The fans have returned home, forced to watch the transfer market until the European leagues start-up again in August. And the South Africans have gone back to being South Africans, albeit with a renewed sense of pride and self-confidence, ready to tackle that country’s challenges with a greater belief and purpose thanks to the successful orchestration of this tremendous event.
But what can we make of this World Cup, which we were constantly reminded was the first hosted on the African continent? For starters, many in America hopefully now realize that Africa is a continent, not a country. Though I suppose the people who struggled with that, like George W. Bush, probably don’t really care about the World Cup…or Africa.
Success – By The Numbers
Statistically speaking, this World Cup was a success. Despite the relative remoteness of South Africa and its reputation for crime and poverty, 3.18 million attended the tournament’s 64 matches. That puts it in third place behind Germany 2006 with its 3.36 million in 64 matches and the record-holder, USA 1994, which had 3.59 million attend its 52 matches.
The trend towards fewer goals has continued since the 64-team format was introduced in 1998, though ever so slightly. There were 171 goals scored in 1998, 161 in 2002, and 147 in 2006. This tournament gave us 145 goals, or 2.27 per match.
Fortunately for us, Green Point stadium in Cape Town was the most goal-rich venue, with a total of 22 goals in eight games. That nudges out Soccer City in Jo’burg, which only saw 20 goals in eight games. We saw the first 13 goals, with nine more coming in the last two matches played there. In total, we witnessed 15 goals in seven matches – right on par with the tournament’s average.
Goals are one thing, but if the match is a tie then it’s not quite as exciting, is it? Well, South Africa 2010 had the least number of ties in the 64-game format. Of the 64 matches played, only 13 were draws – two of them being decided by PKs in the knockout phase. Germany 2006 had 15 draws, whereas Japan/Korea 2002 had 16 and France 1998 had a whopping 19. Seven of the draws in South Africa were scoreless, which ties the record set in Germany.
While the record-setting flurry of bookings in the 2010 final (14 – more than double the previous record) might leave some with the impression that this was a dirty Cup, only 261 fouls were committed – that’s 25 percent fewer than Germany 2006. South Africa 2010 also saw 35 percent fewer red cars than were distributed in Germany.
An odd but interesting tidbit is that, with 31 solo runs, Spain’s Sergio Ramos was the tournament’s most prolific dribbler. I’m not sure exactly how they measure that, but that’s amazing because Ramos is a defender – Spain’s right back – not a midfielder or forward as you might expect. Ramos also made the record books by being tied – with Dutch midfielder and professional thug Mark van Bommel - for the second most fouls committed in the tournament (17). First place goes to an even more unlikely candidate, Japan’s talented midfielder Keisuke Honda with 19 committed.
Memorable Moments
Everyone asks me what was my favorite memory, what was the best part about my trip. There wasn’t a single moment, and maybe that’s the best part. There were so many memorable moments.
Tshabalala’s opening goal that gave South Africa a surprise lead in their 1-1 tie with Mexico in the very first match, which we watched at Ferryman’s Tavern in Cape Town’s waterfront. The USA managing to tie mighty England, 1-1, which we watched live in Rustenburg. Slovakia beating Italy, 3-2, in probably the most exciting game of the entire tournament. We watched it on TV, swilling Belgian chocolate milkshakes at Myatt Cafe in the waterfront and taking great joy in seeing Italy knocked out of the tournament in the Group Stage without a win. Portugal finally coming alive, crushing North Korea 7-0 as we watched in Cape Town’s Green Point stadium – soaked to the bone. It was extra special for us since, up until that point, we’d witnessed four consecutive draws – two of which were scoreless. Seeing South Africa beat France to knock them out of the tournament in the Group Stage without a win. Though France did finally manage to score its first and only goal of the tournament, the win was made extra special by watching it in the lodge at the Aguila Game Preserve, where we could go and look at the wild animals during halftime. Watching the Algerians outplay England in Green Point stadium, holding them to a goalless draw that kept America’s hopes for advancement alive. The United States’ last-minute winner against Algeria, which we watched in the lounge at Beleza. Donovan’s goal in the 91st minute not only sent us through to the Round of 16, but it also placed us first in our group, ahead of England. Watching the Dutch beat Brazil in the quarterfinals at the Tara Pub in Amsterdam.
Of course, it wasn’t all about the football. There was that first glimpse of Table Mountain as we drove into Cape Town at night. They light the thing like Grand Central Station. And, of course, the views from on top of Table Mountain. The views from Cape Point. And the sunrise from Signal Hill.
Sean and I in front of Beleza's after our last meal in Cape Town, photographed by Aiden on his iPhone
We can’t overlook the food. Breakfasts at Beleza, and the Daily Deli. The breakfast we had in Rustenburg, with that wonderful family. Getting up close to the lions in Aguila and the sharks in Gansbaai. The endless parade of steaks, all leading up to the T-bone for two at Carne (and the waitress who talked about the different cuts like they were nasty sex things). The “kip” sandwich at Cafe Jaren. Prawns in Spanish jackets. Belgian chocolate milk shakes and ice cream. Roma prawns and Gamberi Chourizo at Beleza. Chocolate-covered cupcakes. Mars bars. Hot pretzels at the Paulaner Brauhaus and bretzel baguettes from the German bakery. The best hot chocolate…ever.
And then there are the inside jokes. Aiden’s nightly briefings. And his emphatic declarations of blatant falsehoods. The rim job discussion with Sean, over breakfast. The strawberry juice incident. Royal Buttfucking Stadium. Jabulani. Cheaters never win. Hey, look, a barber shop. TD. T-Bone. Ayoba. Ke’nako. Feel it…it’s here.
But some things aren’t served well by words. Below is a brief video from the fanwalk to one of the games. It’s too dark to see much, but the sound gives you a good feel for what it was like.
Below is another video taken on the fanwalk. This was after our last match, in which Spain beat Portugal 1-0. That’s our own version of Xavi, Sean Dobens, in the foreground.
And here is one more video, taken that same night, by the place where we left the fanwalk to head home along Buitengracht to Tamboerskloof (and near our traditional piss stop).
Success – In The Long Run
What will be the long-term effect of South Africa hosting the World Cup? And for Africa as a whole? Well, I imagine it’s already been a huge success for South Africa on two fronts.
First there is the domestic front. As our friends in Rustenburg described it, a lot of people in South Africa didn’t think the government could pull off the World Cup. And, sadder still, some of them were hoping that the government would fail miserably. But South Africa succeeded. They hosted a wonderful World Cup. The nation and its people shined in the global limelight.
That success will surely translate into a new sense of self-confidence in South Africa. After all, if such a diverse country – in terms of politics, race, religion, and culture – can work together to pull off something that massive, then there’s no limit to what it can do. And let’s face it, South Africa has plenty of challenges to overcome. Crime, racism, poverty, and HIV/AIDS remain huge problems for that nation. Hopefully, the government will now turn its undivided attention towards addressing those issues. And hopefully the people will have more faith in and support for their government – and each other – following the success of the World Cup.
The other front is tourism, which is only surpassed in economic terms by the nation’s well-known wealth in diamonds, gold, and platinum. All of the Americans and English who travelled to South Africa for the tournament – indeed, people from every nation – will have returned with tales of adventure, excitement, and glory. There were no major incidents. No rampant crime. No riots. And no terrorist attacks. To paraphrase a few boys from Liverpool, a splendid time was had by all.
Strangely, some people expected to see dirt roads in the major cities and animals running wild like in some Central African backwater. South Africa is not the Third World. It’s modern and cosmopolitan. In fact, it’s about as unlike Africa as you will find in Africa.
The one complaint I hear about South Africa is that it’s so far away. This is true, but it’s also true for Australia yet people still go there. And South Africa is a lot like Australia in many ways. It’s an English-speaking destination known for its wilderness and ample adventure opportunities, as well as its beaches and great white sharks. I imagine the same sort of traveller interested in Australia might fancy South Africa as well.
As for Africa as a continent, I don’t think it will reap any direct benefits from the World Cup. In Africa, South Africa is the exception – the one sub-Saharan nation that actually made it. It will drive tourism for South Africa, but not the rest of the continent. Though there are exceptions such as myself, who are now more inclined to venture further afield. And then there are those who still think Africa is a nation, but those buffoons tend to spend their vacation dollars at a cheese festival in Milwaukee as opposed to travelling overseas, so it’s no real loss.
Truth be told, the World Cup has little effect on stupid people. For example, before I left on my journey, I called up the folks at VISA to let them know I’d be travelling overseas – specifically to South Africa – so they wouldn’t decline my charges there. The lady from VISA thanked me for doing so and assured me that she noted this on my account so I’d be able to use my card there. She went on to add that Africa is a really nice “country” with plenty of things to do. I should have taken the hint. A company is only as good as its employees, and VISA proved to be pathetic.
My first charge in South Africa was at the official VISA fan store at Green Point stadium. I wanted to buy a fleece before the start of the first game, because the temperature had dropped. Being that VISA is a sponsor, and therefore the store only took VISA, I broke out my card – only to have it declined. Not even VISA takes VISA. And when I returned home I had a number of messages on my answering machine from the VISA fraud department, notifying me that someone was trying to use my card in South Africa. And here I thought American Express employed all the retards. Yeah, I said retard…deal with it.
Will I Go Back To South Africa?
Yes, though I don’t know when. There are so many places I still want to experience that it’s rare that I ever return to the ones I’ve already been to, with Amsterdam and Rio being the notable exceptions. But I can honestly say that South Africa will likely see me again, and soon.
My next drive trip will be to Mozambique, which shares a border with South Africa. When I was in Rapa Nui, I met a Portuguese diver who said I’d love Mozambique. It’s still relatively untamed, with pristine dive sites and great beaches. And the South Africans I talked to had nothing but good stuff to say. In fact, my friend Mandy had recommended a driver in Cape Town, Pierre, who spoke highly of the place. And since he’s driven a motorcycle from Cairo to Cape Town, I definitely value that opinion.
Most of the flights to Mozambique go through South Africa. I’m hoping I can get one through Cape Town, so I take a few days and experience the city in the summer (I tend to take dive trips during New York’s winter months). And maybe I can do another shark cage dive, preferably in calmer waters this time around.
Any Regrets?
Do I have any regrets? Yes, just one. Ok, two. Well, to be honest, really there are three things I’d do differently.
1) The second time I went in the shark cage, I should have left the camera on deck and just watched those beasts. Sometimes you get too caught up in capturing the moment to fully experience it.
2) I wish I had climbed Lion’s Head. It probably would have killed me, but it would have been a hell of a thing to do. Table Mountain was great, and the cable car made it all too easy. When my nephews and I climbed Signal Hill (also known as the Lion’s Rump) to watch the sunrise on our last morning in Cape Town, I was sucking wind. It was steep, early, and the trails weren’t marked at all. But the view from Lion’s Head must be amazing, and well worth the hardship. Below is a view from Table Mountain of Lion’s Head (left) and Signal Hill (right).
3) I should have gone to see Goldfish play at the fanzone. I remember June 16, the evening they played. It was still early in our adventure, but our actions that day sort of set the pace for the rest of our days there. We walked to the waterfront to watch Chile beat Honduras 1-0 on the outdoor big screen. Then we went to the Paulaner Brauhaus to see Spain lose to Switzerland, 1-0. I can’t remember where exactly we ate meat at the waterfront while watching South Africa get crushed by Uruguay, 3-0, but I know we wanted to turn in early as we expected to go shark cage diving in the morning. We hadn’t even been to the fanzone at that point (truth be told, we avoided it like the plague because it was so commercial and touristy), so seeing Goldfish play wasn’t a priority at the time. Besides, we only knew one song – Soundtracks and Comebacks (below); it wasn’t until we started hanging out at the Mustang Internet Cafe that we realized the great tunes they played regularly were all by Goldfish (see two other songs below – Cruising Through Music & Fort Knox).
Looking Forward – Brazil 2014
The countdown to 2014 Brazil is now 1,410 days. And people are already starting to pick favorites, as I mentioned earlier. There’s a lot of talk about how the Brazilians will be reborn. And there’s even more talk about the youthful German squad, which seems to continually surprise the pundits. Yet, while Brazil’s quarterfinal exit was a repeat of 2006, Germany’s success was also no surprise.
How quickly we forget that Germany was the top-scoring club of the 2006 World Cup. As an underdog then as well, they took Italy into 29 minutes of extra time (three minutes longer than the Netherlands lasted against Spain) before losing to the eventual champions, 2-0. Of course, people tend to have selective memory when it comes to these things. For example, when people think of the 2006 final between Italy and France, the names Zidane and Materassi come to mind – though they are remembered for the infamous head-butt incident rather than being the only two players to have scored during regulation time.
While South Africa 2010 will be remembered for Spain’s victory and the impressive runs by Germany, Uruguay, and Ghana, it will also be remembered for the officiating errors and vuvezelas. And FIFA will never let us forget that it was the first World Cup held on South African soil – a feat that won’t be topped until Oceania is able to host one (and with Australia having jumped ship to play in Asia, that basically means never).
Brazil 2014 will be the second time that nation has hosted the World Cup, and the fifth time its been played on South American soil. They are already off to a bad start, convincing FIFA to let them host games in 12 different cities (most nations opt for 10). That means more travel for fans, and even more troubling, more travel for the teams. Why? It will give the Brazilian economy more of a boost, assuming people pay to see the games in the more remote cities, and it makes for good politics when local leaders get their cities qualified to host a few games.
My preference will be to set up shop in Rio de Janeiro, preferably in the beach communities of Ipanema or Leblon. I’d be willing to travel to other beach-centric cities like Porto Alegre, Salvador, Natal, and Fortaleza to see a game or two. I’d even be willing to go to Brasilia or Manus for the novelty of it. But Rio and Maracana, which is slated for a much-needed upgrade, will be the place to be.
For South Africa 2010, I applied online for tickets in February 2009. So those also interested in attending Brazil 2014 should mark their calendars for January 2013, just to be safe. And one of the lessons learned in South Africa is that many online vendors reselling tickets are perfectly legitimate, despite what FIFA claims on their own Web site. I’ll definitely look to those vendors to supplement whatever tickets I win in the FIFA lottery system. And by then I should know which teams will be playing.
Once tickets are secured, then it’s a question of airfare and accommodation. My advice is to book earlier than you think is necessary. By the time we started looking for South Africa, in September 2009, all of the big hotels in Cape Town were already booked by sponsors, tour companies, and the media. We were very fortunate to find an apartment at a reasonable rate, especially given the duration of our stay. Airfare was a bitch, too, as the airlines held out on adding flights until the last minute, ensuring that the rates remained as high as possible.
The trick is to plan ahead. And keep in mind that, while you may only get tickets for a few games, it’s so much more fun to be there – enjoying the sights and watching the other games with locals and fellow travelers. That’s beauty of the World Cup – it’s not just the games but the overall experience that makes it special.
Panorama of Rio shot from Corcovado by Jens Hausherr; click to enlarge
In The Meantime – My New Blog(s)
In the next few days, I’ll be moving this blog into an ongoing blog about football/soccer. I haven’t selected a name yet, but as soon as I do, I’ll make one final post here. I may also start-up a blog about life in Upper Yorkville, where I live, and maybe even resurrect the Burning Love Institute.
Strangely, my most searched posting on this blog is the joke about Fozzie Bear suing Shakira. I was shocked when my nephew and brother both assumed it was true. And I’m baffled that it seems to have gone a little viral at this point. I half expect to be contacted by someone’s lawyers before it’s all said and done.
So stay tuned. There’s more to come. And if you enjoyed this blog, then you will likely enjoy what’s coming down the pipe.
