The Finals

That's Soccer City with Joburg (Joeys) in the background. Pretty cool pic.

Spain meet the Dutch on Sunday evening in the finals of the 2010 World Cup. I've been lucky enough to go to quite a few matches, having managed to acquire the follow-my-team-Australia tickets via my resourceful brothers (long story!).

Here are a list of the matches I have attended: Argentina v Nigeria; Germany v Australia; Netherlands v Denmark; Brazil v Korea; Slovenia v USA; Australia v Ghana; Brazil v Ivory Coast; Australia v Serbia; Slovakia v Italy; USA v Ghana; England v Germany; Japan v Paraguay; Germany v Argentina; Germany v Spain; Spain v Holland.

I've seen 8 out of the 10 stadiums, met a whole bunch of different people and thoroughly enjoyed being South African. I'm quite proud actually of what our not-quite-so-3rd-world country has achieved.

Pre-England v Germany lunch at Jimmy's Killer Prawns in Bloemfontein. Alby is rarely without his Roma scarf. If you cut his veins they bleed red and yellow. Mine too.

The score and game which caused plenty of controversy. German domination. If the ball that wasn't in, which was actually in, was called in, it may have been a different game as the English were on a roll and a 2-2 score would have motivated the teams differently.

Going to my brother-in-law's 40th birthday in Noordhoek (Cape Town) dressed as a Paraguayan fan.

Preparing for the Battle of Greenpoint Stadium against the Deutsche. The might of the Germans killed the imagination of the Argentines and Argentina's chosen one, Lionel Messi, struggled to inspire as he had done for the rest of the tournament. But then he is still only 23 years old.

The Argentine supporters were always in good spirits and ready for a party at a moments notice. That's Lion's Head to the right of the bus.

Alby does not do things in half measures. When you support a team, you support a team.
The sadness of the Germans after going 1-0 down to the Spaniards in Durban.

Stephen (The German) meets the Spaniard (reporter from some Spanish TV station).

Gavin went balls to the wall for the Spaniards in Durban.

Any given Sunday,

~RobbyRicc

Wakka Wakka Soccer Soccer

Holy Cow! Ok. My head is still spinning from the soccer madness. I've been travelling around the country squeezing in as many games as possible. Around this I have been working like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible: laptop at the ready and willing to work at a moment's notice. Although this is my off season for training, I feel as though my body is at it's limit. My nutrition has taken a dive: - hotdogs, boerewors rolls, chips and beer have become my staple diet.

Enough whining. It is awesome and I am glad I came back to South Africa to witness this soccer festival.

Here's an art piece at a Nando's chicken restaurant. Fast food maybe, but with class.

USA v Slovenia 2-2. One of the best comebacks of the tournament. I was supporting the US as: I don't have Slovenian flag PJ's; some of my best friends are from Missouri; and my god daughter, Sabrina, was born in the US.

This is my god daughter Sabrina. A beautiful, loving, crazy girl who is more competitive than anyone I have ever raced against.

Mexican reporters interviewing some American fans. The Mexicans have arrived here in their droves. They are a rowdy and loveable bunch.


Americans have Americana. We have South Africana. Here are some donkeys and their drivers a few hundred metres outside the Rustenburg stadium where we saw Australia v Ghana.


Ozzies having a braai (barbecue) in the parking lot of the Park n Ride. Lots of Roos and stubbled Ozzies were at the game. I overheard an Ozzie couple speaking about their friends who had come over for the Soccer World Cup as part of their honeymoon. At the wife's request. Classic.
The Ozzies erupting with Australia's goal. They would go on to draw the match with Ghana after a penalty and sending off of an Ozzie player, Harry Kewell.

I love the Italians. Riccardo, my brother's cousin in law, is adourned with Italian couture at its finest. It's his Sestriere T-shirt where Italians and the rest of the world love to ski. Note the English as written by an Italian. Pretty funny.

Soccer City aka the Calabash. Those are not broken windows (as some foreigners have quipped). It is to let the natural light into the stadium as well as to allow for its ventilation.

The Calabash at night. It's like Close Encounters of the 4th Kind.
Love those red shoes. My brother Marco bought them for my 38th birthday.

I'm currently partaking in the 100 non-stop push up challenge by the 31 July. I'm currently at 35. Training commences on 12th July.

Only a few more weeks to go,

~RobbyRicc

Fever Pitch

It's all systems go in South Africa. Here are some of the more respectable pictures from the last few days. Below are the Cows making a grand appearance at the Sandton Bafana Bafana Road carnival. Some said there were 180,000 people in the streets. Others said 250,000. Either way, it was pleasant chaos.

People came out in their finest colours to show the team that we are behind them 100%.

Bafana Bafana fans love The Cows.

The opening Music Festival on Thursday evening was superb. The picture below shows a glimpse of Jacob Zuma, South Africa's president, on the right hand screen. The guy a few seats in front of me looked like his body double. Natalie and I without the kids. A rare treat.

South African Breweries provided the new named beer, South Africa. R15 a can (about 2 dollars). Tastes like Castle Lager.

Even a new wine was released for the occasion. Bafana Bafana rose' and white.

We saw this amazing painted banner at the Argentina v Nigeria match. Maradona, Argentina's coach, was posing as always, blowing kisses to the crowd. What a character. Messi was on fire - a magical player which explains why his country hold him in high regard.
Some frauleins provided some outside stadium entertainment. Lots of Ozzies in the crowds. The Germans proved to be a clinical and impressive team.
Ozzies looking after their own. Lots of roos in the stadium.

Every stadium so far has been breathtaking - Durban was no different.

Holland v Denmark. The Dutch outnumbered the Danes. I tried to take a picture of the girl with the orange umbrella and ended up getting in a guy with balls on his head. You can't have everything.

The Brazilians overwhelmed the North Koreans in the stands, but not on the field. I'd imagine most countries are thankful the split between the north and south of Korea remains intact lest the two teams put together a formidable super-team.

Despite my efforts to bolster the Korean support, the Brazilians beat them 2-1.

We are now preparing for South Africa's second match against Uruguay. Victory will ensure the public euphoria with Saffers losing their minds and few people making work tomorrow. Not a bad thing.

Wave your flag,

~RobbyRicc