John Metzler Archive

The 'beautiful Game' in the beautiful country

While 32 teams started in the tournament, the ebb and flow of sporting fortunes on the green pitch of the soccer field, were soon narrowed, often with the most bitter calls, plays, and consequences. Historic powerhouse teams such as Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Holland, Spain and Uruguay soon began to edge towards the finals. Other greats from not so long ago such as Italy, (the 2006 winner) and France (the 1998 winner) fell by the wayside fairly early on.

One real surprise seems France’s poor performance. Les Bleus are just not up to the game after a spate of scandals and sloppy play both on and off the pitch. The French team was a sorry farce, a pitiful embarrassment to the image of France and themselves.

The soundtrack to the South African world Cup was undisputedly the vuvezella, the bee-swarm buzzing long horn which droned out traditional football chants and anthems.

Velkom to Football, ah, Soccer! Quite simply each team has eleven players on the field for two forty-five minute periods. The ebb and flow of fortune on the green field, is often stopped by fate in a millisecond, or thwarted by a disputed call which lingers with pain and then enters lore and legend.

Team USA played surprisingly well — a 1-1 tie with England, and a 2-2 draw with Slovenia. In the second game with Slovenia a third American Goal was disqualified by a referee and thus the USA did not win. The USA then fell to Ghana in a 2-1 match.

The USA were serious contenders; I always say Americans learn soccer and play it well. The Europeans — and of course Brazil and Argentina — have Soccer in their DNA and thus the beautiful game comes naturally.

While the game represents sporting elegance on the field, it equally evokes the passions of political nationalism and storied team loyalties. Soccer evokes national emotions and stereotypes, and drama too. Interestingly both the South and North Korean teams were in the World Cup; The North Koreans were trounced by Portugal 7-0. But South Korea held on remarkably long.

This the first time an African country hosted the World Cup. Indeed as the continent’s most developed and prosperous land, South Africa provided the backdrop to amazing sporting events until 11th July. But there’s actually a bigger story beyond sports. A rich and bountiful land long plagued by strife among its diverse peoples, nonetheless remains the African continent’s economic dynamo. That said, South Africa remains a country which straddles the First World but with a strong undertow of the Third World. The contradictions of the African continent are nowhere as glaring as they historically were in this land.

In so many sectors, mining, manufacturing and agriculture South Africa is a powerhouse.

In the few years run-up to the World Cup, a major building boom was added to the plus column as world class stadiums, improved infrastructure and communications were upgraded. Indisputably the country had the infrastructure and the security to successfully host such a major sporting event.

Now comes the next challenge, back to normalcy.

There’s still an undertow of over 33 percent unemployment and a grinding poverty and corruption which has widened even since the end of apartheid in 1994. And though there are regular democratic elections, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) government holds a lock on power. And that means they own the problems from a staggeringly high AIDS rate, to endemic poverty, crime, and a weak currency.

As the Golden haze of the World Cup fades many good things remain; revived national pride, racial unity, and a sense of accomplishment. The real winner is South Africa.

Now she must prove her politicians are up to the long-term task.