FIFA 2010 World Cup: Ghana will get a hero’s welcome while Mandela admits “great pleasure” to witness the Black Stars
It was expected that, the African leader and worldwide icon of human rights Nelson Mandela will attend the opening ceremony of the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa but unfortunately, he couldn’t due to the tragic death of his 13 year old granddaughter when she was coming back from a concert in Soweto for the World Cup.
The President of FIFA, Sepp Blatter had earlier asked the ex-President of South Africa to attend and inaugurate the World Cup but Mandela was in weak health and didn’t confirm. Later the 91 year old requested Blatter for four tickets confirming his presence before the tragedy.
Many Africans were waiting for the tournament and their idol Mandela to appear with the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma stating that it would be a day to remember.
Due to the death of his daughter and his ailing health, he in the end could not either attend the match or the opening ceremony. But still Mandela was keen on following the proceeding of the tournament and said that after South Africa was knocked out of the tournament, he hoped in earnest that some African country would stay in the tournament long enough to make Africa proud.
Ghana became the only African nation to enter into the quarterfinals and gave an amazing performance in the process. After six African nations, they were the only ones left and despite not having their star midfielder and Captain Michael Essien, they stunned the world with the show they brought.
The Chelsea player Essien had an injured knee and due to a slow recovery rate, the star had to excuse himself from the World Cup team. In mid May, he announced to saddened fans that he would not recover from his injury in time to play for the World Cup.
The Ghanaian team and fans were deeply demoralized by the news and there was very little hope that Ghana would enter in to the last stages of the tournament. However, they proved with a contrary performance.
Ghana came second in the Group stages with winning, drawing and losing a match. They weren’t drawn in an easy group either, as their group included the mighty Germans, who have made it to the semi-finals, Australia and Serbia, both out of the tournament.
In the round of 16, they beat USA in memorable match with a 1-0 victory and then lost to Uruguay in the quarter finals. Nevertheless, they had nearly won the match against Uruguay. The match was drawn at 1-1 and in extra time after a free kick by a Ghanaian player, the ball was traveling into the net but the Uruguayan player, Luis Suarez blocked the ball from both hands. The goal naturally was adverted; however, the referee slapped Suarez with a red card. Ghana was given a penalty kick, but Asamoah Gyan missed and instead hit the top bar of the goal post. Later the match went to penalties and Ghana lost 4-2.
FIFA took up to ban Suarez for 5 matches, but they abstained in the end and now if Uruguay proceeds to the finals, he will be available to them. Had the goal been allowed, Ghana would have made it to the semi-finals, instead of Uruguay.
Nelson Mandela though didn’t comment clearly on Suarez’s actions but admired the effort put in by Ghana to reach the quarter finals.
Mandela told that it was “great pleasure” to watch the Ghanaian matches. He wrote a letter to the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nayantakyi, and commented, “on the historic occasion of the first FIFA World Cup to be hosted in Africa, it is a great pleasure to see that Ghana has reached the quarterfinals”.
Mandela wrote that “We join everybody in the continent…in wishing you success in the tournament going forward.”
The Black Stars now return back home to a hero’s welcome despite the loss. They have after all made history.
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