Speaking from Port Elizabeth, Minister Stofile congratulated Bafana Bafana for the fighting spirit they displayed against France.
“Despite our failure to progress to the second round, winning against France will always be remembered as one of the most significant wins during this World Cup. We are of course not happy with the fact that we did not proceed to the next round, but we are equally proud of our boys. They really put in a good fight. To all of us, the win should mean two things; first, the resilience as demonstrated by the team’s determination to win when they were already written off by many but secondly, the potential that lies at the team’s disposal going forward.”, said Minister Stofile.
The Minister continued to emphasise the impact made by the World Cup to South Africa. “The World Cup has placed Africa and especially South Africa on the map of the world in a way that no other event ever has. When keeping a constant eye on the majority of the international media, the whole world agrees with this. We should be extremely proud as it is thanks to our hard work, overall spirit and wonderfully welcoming behaviour towards the people of the world that the 2010 FIFA World Cuphas so far been a success”, the Minister said.
“Until the last whistle is blown on 11 July 2010, we urge every South African together with our visitors to continue supporting this World Cup. Those with tickets must continue to go to the stadia and watch the last 16 teams as they battle it out. For those without tickets, continue following the tournaments from your homes as well as the designated public viewing areas and fan parks,” the Minister said.
As for countries competing in the world cup, the Minister said compared to other countries, South Africa is fairly young in this international domain and that with time, the country will progress. He urged the South African Football Association to start to work towards 2014.
“Brazil will definitely learn from South Africa's success and mistakes. We have set a wonderful example for the rest of the world and for all future world cups. Brazil has the potential of hosting a very successful World Cup in 2014”, the Minister concluded.
Enquiries:
Lerato Mogorosi
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