As promised, I can say I was there at the first ever football match played at Cape Town’s 2010 World Cup stadium. And what an experience. As ever, a big football match in the Mother City brought out the true spirit of the Rainbow Nation – every colour, every age – all just there to share in the historic moment and to have a great time.
The standard of the actual football wasn’t much to write home about, unless you are a fan of words like “rubbish” and “dull” and the phrase “couldn’t score in a brothel”, but the weather was perfect, the atmosphere superb, the organisation faultless and the stadium itself: truly magnificent. It was fascinating to watch as people came in and just stared in awe, open-mouthed.
I took almost a Gig of photographs, which I have managed to whittle down to 81 pictures and a video (HD, nogal!) of the very first kick off at the Stadium – courtesy of Ajax’s centre-forward, Diyo Sibisi.
Slideshow (in a separate window) | Flickr set
All in all, a brilliant day out and very promising for the World Cup. In a couple of weeks, we double the numbers for the Rugby – it’s going to be another sell-out and another great occasion.
EDIT: I’m told that there are some (continuing) complaints on certain (Cape Talk) radio stations about fans blowing vuvuzelas. The only noise I’m fed up with is the incessant whining of the whities who have suddenly become football fans (which is great) and now want to change the game to suit themselves (which is not). Bugger off.
Gaby Logan did a documentary on how things were going for the World Cup, and one of the things that was discussed were the vuvuzelas. Yes, they are noisy, and yes, they are loud, but that is football in the southern hemisphere. I totally agree that people should stop wanting football to be “European”… why bother having it in SA if you want to take away the local flavour?!? 😛
Lovely photos, as always! 🙂
.-= Helga Hansen´s last blog ..Scuba TV =-.
Bit confused… it says my last blog post was “Scuba TV” – no it bl**dy wasn’t!! 😀
Historical moment. Hmm. Kay.
So what was with all the cops lazing around in their cars? We drove past at around 6 or so when the last stragglers were trying to leave and just saw legions of metro police chilling out. Had they been a useful service ensuring that everyone could get out via the tiny tiny little roads without too much chaos?
So since I’m not a “whitie” (a term we will take issue with another day in this PC obsessed world) who has suddenly become a fan, can I still complain? 😛
.-= Tara´s last blog ..Doosdronk =-.
Awesome.
There are obvious similarities with the Emirates Stadium and the new Wembley – just not the sunshine, blue skies, mountain, trees, smiling faces…!
HH > All too many of the white locals want everything to be European. I’m happy that they want to be involved, but they have no place trying to change things that they don’t find to be to their personal delectation.
HH > No, but it was a great post. Have you been hacked?
Tara > They set up for 70,000, even though they were expecting far fewer. Meh – you can moan, but this was the first “dry run” of the stadium and I think it went well.
Also, I’d definitely rather have too many police than too few. Probably.
GaiB > …annoying Arsenal fans, annoying Chelsea fans, annoying ManUre fans… etc etc… 😉
Wasn’t moaning about the cops man, was just wondering why they were all there. 😉
.-= Tara´s last blog ..Doosdronk =-.
Have *I* been hacked? Not as far as I am aware – as I mentioned in my tweet earlier, after I had commented, I had trouble getting back into your blog… and then when I tried again later, all was fine. Perhaps this was one of those epic #fail moments! 😀
.-= Helga Hansen´s last blog ..Procrastination =-.
I was at the soccer at the new Cape Town stadium. It’s a real world class facility. The atmosphere was electrifying, the security was great, the soccer was poor. The only problem I have with the stadium was that it was really chilly sitty there. I suggest they should place some sought of windbreaker behind the top row of seats because come winter season the coldness is going to be unbearable.
I wish the football had been a bit more European.
Mr OL has been a football fan since before he could talk so not a whitie that has suddenly become a fan. He does however whine incessantly about the vuvezela’s. That was until bright spark in his family got him one for Christmas. Nice, they live in East London and don’t have to hear the @#$@# thing.
He now believes if you can’t beat them join them and practises at home. URGH!!! I have tried hiding that blasted thing numerous times but he keeps finding it!
.-= Pamela´s last blog ..Me, obsessed? Never! =-.
Went to watch the game – Stadium is very cool.
I see Grant says he was cold… Grant was not sitting in the direct sunlight like I was I guess.. Because I was MELTING….
Saw lots of people wearing earplugs = problem solved.
The top level of seats are unlikely to have a windbreaker since it provides ventilation onto the pitch, which saves lots of money.
A rainy match will be interesting!
They should clean the floors though.
I love to see new stadia. Every city I go to I try and see them, if I can take in a game, all the better! Best so far was seeing the first game at the re-built Wembley Stadium in London – can’t wait to see what they do with the Olympics!
.-= Skip´s last blog ..Highway to Hate =-.