Sports
Fans Unite Under Madiba’s Gaze In Johannesburg
Standing majestically at the entrance to the Johannesburg square that now bears his name, is a towering statue of Nelson Mandela.
The colossal bronze monument, six metres high and weighing 2.5 tonnes, is a symbol of South Africa’s new-found optimism and has become the focal point for FIFA World Cup celebrations, and commiserations.
Steps which lead the way to two of the square’s many eateries are a sea of noise and colour as fans congregate ahead of their nations’ latest encounters. It is a ritual that has been followed from Day 1, and while the colours might change on a daily basis, the infectious comradeship never alters. Formally known as Sandton Square, it took the name of the nation’s hero ten years after Madiba led his beloved South Africa into a new democratic era. The great man would surely be proud of what is unfolding at the feet of his metre-long shoes as different cultures happily mix.
“We had the World Cup in Germany four years ago and it was crazy,” enthuses Germany fan Stefan Venus from Munich, who has travelled to South Africa with brother Michael. “The whole world came to Germany and now the whole world is here.”
“Nelson Mandela Square is very well known, it is in all the newspapers and it something you have to go to,” says Werner Lehmann, a fellow German fan based in Alicante, Spain. “That is why I came here. But when you read it in the newspaper you don’t really know what it is like, you have to see it, you have to feel it. It is a great, great place.”
The square’s unique atmosphere is particularly evident just hours before the last-16 clash between Brazil and Chile. Lunchtime it might be, but the Brazilian motto is clearly that it is never too early to get the party started. As a mini-conga breaks out among the South Americans in response to an accordion version of Coca-Cola’s official 2010 FIFA World Cup song by Caroline Delamarque, a Brazilian living in Miami, explains: “This is the point that everyone comes to meet and then we get to meet a lot of people and we make a lot of friends. It is the first World Cup I have been to and the atmosphere is amazing.”
The musician himself, Fabricio Parisoto from Santa Catarina in Brazil, is quick to echo those sentiments once he has put his accordion down, of course. “Everybody is here. It is a nice place, and it is a great atmosphere. The Chilean fans are new to us but there is no problem, it’s a party, this is the nice thing about the World Cup, the people from different countries meeting up with each other. We sing together.”
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.