Teaching Soccer

On Friday the 11th of June 2010 the whole of africa will join the many soccer fans across the globe being the day when Africa gets to hold the prestigious FIFA World Cup. For eighty years now the FIFA World Cup host countries have been in either Europe or the Americas. How is the country to hold the Cup selected?The latest selection policy is that any country can bid for the world cup as long as their continental confederation hasn’t hosted it in the past two years which makes a Africa very eligible. South Africa nearly won the 2006 bidding against Germany with a final tally of 12 votes to 11. All countries that bid for the 2010 World Cup were African including South Africa, Morocco and Egypt. Morocco lost to South Africa by four events making this a momentous event. Technically, this is why South Africa is hosting this years World Cup but is the counntry able to hold such a big event? If you’d ask me, I’d say they surely are, here are my  reasons:

* Have you seen their team? This fact alone gives them the right to hosting the Cup. Can you imagine having the Cup in a country whos team sucks?What a disgrace that would be! Look back at the countries that held the Cup-1950 (Brazil), 1978 (Argentina), and 1990 (Italy), some of the best teams in the world. If South Africa was added to the list, nobody would mind.

* Awesome stadiums-South Africa constructed four brand new stadiums just for the 2010  FIFA World Cup. There’s a jungle-inspired stadium with zebra like stripes, another with mind-blowing lighting, one with a detractable glass roof and yet another that was constructed to look like the South African flag. What more could you ask for?

* The perfect weather-  if there’s one thing South Africa is known for-aside from its wildlife, it would be the weather. It will be winter time when the World Football Tournament will take place. South Africa’s winter temperature at midday is warmer than most countries daily summer temperature so no need to worry that your favorite players will get frozen. Lower temperatures have been proved to be better for athlete’s bodies so the average expected temperature of 20 degrees Celsius at 12pm noon will be great. With good weather, we can expect better performance..

* Africa- civilization as we know it has been thought to have begun in Africa and many African coutries hold soccer dear to their hearts. Could you think of a better venu for the world to unite? Also, during the Mandela era, football was a cause of unification and a force for the apartheid resistance. Holding the finals in Soweto, the center of South African soccer will make this even more than a sporting  one but more importantly a very historical one.

In my opinion, no controversy in the past four years can change the  fact that South Africa is the best place for  the 2010 FIFA World Cup and everyone should be proud that for the first time in  history, Africa is holidng a sporting event this big.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup is awaited by the entire world. After much deliberation, bidding and voting, South Africa came out as the location for the 2010 World Cup. The Soccer wall calender for 2010 has a lot install with the initial battle between South Africa and Mexico.Many forecast that it will be likely for the final world cup winners football game to have an African nation involved yet this is yet to be seen. For the many who might not be able to eyewitness the tournament, you might be interested to knowing what kind of stadiums the football stars will be doing their soccer tricks. Well South Africa really took to heart their being the 2010 hosts and over the years constructed five totally new stunning stadiums.Here’s a peek for all you ‘soccerholics’:

*Moses Mabhida Stadium- formally the Kings Park Soccer Stadium that is now a beautiful teflon-coated stadium with a glass fiber roof.Opened on November 2009.

o Capacity: 70,000 o Location: Durban o Design: looks like the South African flag from an ariel view.The legs of the arch join which signifies the uniting of the formally devided country.This arch has a staggering height of 347 ft at the  highest point. Has a translucent glow if lit.
* Green Point Stadium- will  hold the first six round matches, one second-round, one quarter and one semifinal match.The original stadium was demolished and reconstruced in 2007.

o Capacity:70,000 o Location: Cape Town o Design: located between the ocean and has the beautiful mountains as a backdrop. Also equiped with sound proof material. Has a retractable glass roof weighing 4,500-tons.

* Mbombela Stadium- derived from “Mbombela” which is the  siSwati word for  “many people together in a small space.” o Capacity: 40,000 o Location:Nelspruit o Design:  a very ‘wild’ looking stadium which gets inspiration from the many surrounding national parks. * Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium-scheduled to host five first round matches, one second round, one quarter final and the third place playoff. Name taken from the municipality name not the x-president Nelson Mandela.

o Capacity: 50 000 o Location:Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth o Design:nicknamed ‘the sunflower’ has a roof with a series of petal like looking structures.

* Soccer City Stadium- The largest stadium in Africa. Will hold the first and last matches of the Cup.

o Capacity:94,500 o Location: Johannesburg o Design:very lit during the night and resembles an African pot.

With all these stadiums, this year is surely to be a Cup to remember. Wouldn’t you want to just book the next flight to Africa to witness this event?