Left: 2010 World Cup Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan, Nelson Mandela and FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke
May 6, 2010 – Nelson Mandela received a visit at his offices today from the 2010 World Cup Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan and FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke, who brought with them the official FIFA World Cup Trophy.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy arrived in South Africa yesterday, after its world tour, and was presented to Mr Mandela, by Jordaan and Valcke, at the Nelson Mandela Foundation offices today.
On May 15, 2004, South Africa’s long walk to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ began with Nelson Mandela lifting the trophy in Zurich.
With tears of joy in his eyes, he proclaimed that he felt “like a boy of 15” on the day South Africa was awarded the right to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.
Mr Mandela with his hand on the official FIFA World Cup Trophy
Today, nearly six years later, Mr Mandela again laid his hands on the FIFA World Cup Trophy, just 35 days before Africa’s first FIFA World Cup kicks off.
For Valcke and Jordaan, it was a very special moment.
“Nelson Mandela was one of the architects of this FIFA World Cup; we will never forget the moment when South Africa was awarded the FIFA World Cup,” Valcke said, adding, “Madiba is the symbol of this new democratic South Africa. For us there was no way that the trophy would arrive in the country and not be brought first to Mr Mandela.”
“Nelson Mandela expressed his wish that he would see Bafana Bafana win the FIFA World Cup. We really hope that he will experience, together with us, the special moments celebrating South Africa’s achievements in the stadium,” Valcke added.
Mr Mandela with the official FIFA World Cup Trophy
“It was so wonderful seeing Madiba in Zurich on the day South Africa won the right to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, so happy with tears of joy rolling down his cheeks,” said Jordaan. “So, it is quite an emotional and joyful moment to be back bringing the trophy to him, a symbol of world football with a global symbol of humanity.”
“In the spirit of Mandela Day we would like all South Africans and the world to see the trophy representing good”, said Achmat Dangor, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
On Friday, May 7, the FIFA World Cup Trophy will embark on the final leg of its world tour in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, before visiting 38 cities and towns across all nine provinces in South Africa.