Here are some of the awesome images taken during the closing ceremony and also the fireworks display after the winners took their trophy;
Participating countries
Shakira
Soccer City Light Show
Cool Blue
Amazing fireworks at Soccer City
Fireworks over Soccer City
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Spain 1 – 0 Netherlands
World Cup Finals Stadium
The final was contested between Spain andthe Netherlands at Soccer city stadium in Johannesburg on July 11th with the Spanish being victorious.
Spain Victorious
The game went into extra time as no team could find a way through the defences as the game became very physical resulting in 11 yellow cards and one red card (after a second yellow). The goal came in the 116th minute with a beautiful strike by Andres Iniesta (who was also voted the man of the match).
Both teams often regarded as the best in the world had never lifted the coveted World Cup with the dutch coming the closest on two occasions in 1974 and 1978 loosing in the final both times.
Fifa.com match review
Spain return home to heroes welcome
Spain V Netherlands Images
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The Netherlands march on to the final which will be held in Johannesburg at the soccer city stadium on Sunday 11th July.
The Netherlands saw off a good Uruguay team who provided a good challenge to the Dutch side who will meet the winners of the second Semi Final to be played out between Germany and Spain in Durban.
News from around the web;
Full match review at Fifa.com
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=249719/match=300061512/summary.html
Van Marwijk ‘so proud’ of Dutch;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8794957.stm
Dutch will become complacent;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jul/06/holland-uruguay-bert-van-marwijk
Screaming lord Dutch;
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/worldcup2010/3044180/Gio-van-Bronckhorst-is-Screamin-Lord-Dutch-as-Holland-beat-Uruguay.html
I have resisted the urge to blog about the dismal performance of England at the 2010 world cup – but heres my two pence worth… for what its worth.
England Down And Out
The England team I saw lacked spark, imagination and pace – against all of the teams that they played I would not rate any of their defenders as the best in the world, at least not any better than what most of the players play against week in week out in the English premiership, yet they were unable to break through and create any real chances. There was a real lack of quality crosses into the box and what appeared to be an unwillingness to beat the defenders.
Thomas Mueller, the German who scored two goals against England, said;
“It is difficult to have so many ‘alpha males’ and have them row in the same direction,”
“You don’t only need chiefs, you also need a few Indians. You need people who are willing to do the hard work.”
“It may be a problem with England that players are simply not mentally prepared to go that extra mile for their team-mates.”
I think that its unfair to single out any individual player as there were many who had bad tournaments Rooney, Heskey, Terry, Barry and of course Capello.
I can only tell of the agonising disappointment I felt I watched at my local sports bar/pub, The Westlake Arms in the southern suburbs of Cape Town with my wife and friends around me as we went down 4-1. Above all the team seemed to lack passion – which is what made it even worse!
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The past week has seen alot of action, goals and still more red cards;
Maradona claims Lionel Messi is as good as he was;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8758457.stm
Despite loosing to Germany, Ghana qualify for the last 16
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=249722/match=300061468/index.html
Is Defoe Englands saviour;
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/182793/Jermain-Defoe-s-the-toast-now-England-set-sights-on-Germany
South Africa turn on the style and bow out with heads held high;
http://www.skysports.com/football/world-cup-2010/match-report/0,28360,12097_3222297,00.html
Beckenbauer attacks England team, again!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8757944.stm
A look at Portugal V Brasil – the prospect of a mouth watering clash!
http://www.skysports.com/football/world-cup-2010/match-preview/0,28360,12097_3222325,00.html
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The official Fifa world cup programme system has been set up slightly differently to the way football programmes normally work. There is one set programme for the opening group stages and then one for the knock out rounds and then one for final which will be Johannesburg on 11th July.
I have two programmes for the opening group stages that I am selling on Ebay – these were both bought when I attended the France V Uruguay match in Cape Town on the 11th June. If you are interested in owning one then please have a look at the auctions on Ebay.co.uk (anyone can bid, I will post worldwide);
First programme for sale : Second programme for sale
Official 2010 world cup programme
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Spain go down to minows Switzerland by a single goal from Gelson Fernandes – so far this is the biggest upset of the 2010 world cup!
Gelson Fernandes - Swiss scorer
For full match review visit Fifa.com
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Chile beat Honduras and end their wait of a world cup win of over 48 years in their opening Group H match, with the other match between Spain and Switzerland taking place at 4pm South Africa time.
Heres the latest news and thinking after the first weekend from the 2010 world cup in South Africa;
World Cup security staff protest about wages
http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article502532.ece/World-Cup-security-protest-R190-wages
Ronaldo complains about Vuvzelas
http://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/article502187.ece/Ronaldo-hits-out-at-vuvuzelas
Australias Tim Cahill over his straight red card
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8738113.stm
Ledley King could be injured and out of world cup
http://www.wc2010dailyexpress.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,13070~2070082,00.html
Can Italy retain the world cup in South Africa?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8715799.stm
Cape Town City report on first match at Cape Town stadium
http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/Pages/CitysreportbackfollowingfirstWorldCupmatchatCapeTownStadium.aspx
England keeper Robert Green gives USA 1 – 1 draw
http://www.wc2010dailyexpress.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,13070~2069731,00.html
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England’s 23-man squad for the South Africa World Cup were named today, 1st June, by the England coach Fabio Capello;
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham).
Defenders: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa).
Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Aston Villa), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City).
Forwards: Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).
Players dropped were;
Theo Walcott, Darren Bent, Adam Johnson, Scott Parker, Michael Dawson, Leighton Baines, Tom Huddlestone
England have some highly experienced players with many caps;
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BBC World Cup News
