FIFA World Cup 2010: Africa's dream come true

The once unimaginable idea of a FIFA World Cup played on African soil, in contemporary stadiums telecasted live to soccer fans in all corners of the planet will become a reality this Friday.

When South Africa`s players line up at the 90,000-capacity Soccer City arena to face Mexico in Friday`s first match of the FIFA World Cup 2010, the continent, the host country and the soccer world will see a crucial moment in their respective, entwined stories.

The event, 16 years since South Africa emerged from apartheid into a democratic state, will vindicate the dream of FIFA president Sepp Blatter who stood by the young nation when cynics said the FIFA WC 2010 could never go ahead here.

It will also realise the dreams of Danny Jordaan, the chief executive of the local organising committee, who has spent the last 16 years of his life working towards this moment.

It could signify the beginning of social changes in South Africa, a country of surprising natural beauty who's past and present has been scarred by the darker side of the human spirit - warped politics, heinous crime and deep-rooted poverty and prejudice.

As Jordaan told reporters in an interview this week: "For me it will be a dream come true. It`s a great moment in the World Cup`s 80-year history."

"People said no African country could ever deliver this event. But we are showing that we can`t just match what others have done but that we can do even better. Now the doubters are the believers."