By Andrew Warshaw in Johannesburg
June 19 – Spare a thought for Danny Jordaan (pictured), the public face of the World Cup who campaigned tirelessly to bring it to South Africa.
No-one was prouder at that spectacular opening ceremony at Soccer City on the outskirts of Soweto than Jordaan who, throughout the last six years, has fielded constant questioning about the country’s supposed lack of organisational ability with commendable restraint.
And no-one was more disappointed after the host nation’s 3-0 trouncing by Uruguay which left them in danger of becoming the first hosts to bomb out before the knockout stage.
June 16 is a pivotal date in South Africa’s history – as Jordaan was first to acknowledge.
Over breakfast, he compared Wednesday’s defeat to June 16, 1976, when hundreds of students were killed after rising up against injustice and inequality.
The event helped bring about the end of apartheid and Jordaan said: “I hope Bafana Bafana’s slaughtering on the field is also in the name of future hope,” before adding with painful honesty, “our current hope for Bafana Bafana in this tournament has been badly damaged.”
Jordaan could have been forgiven for shedding more than a few tears on that freezing cold night in Pretoria.
But off the field, the tears have been mainly tears of joy.
Back in 1994 Jordaan decided to put South Africa’s name forward as World Cup hosts, a somewhat inconceivable notion at the time but one which had strong support from FIFA President Sepp Blatter, eager for the tournament to break new ground.
Six years later, when Blatter opened the proverbial envelope to reveal the winners, Jordaan’s face turned positively ashen.
Pipped by Germany, he might easily have given up the ghost but Jordaan wasn’t going to let one failed attempt thwart him.
He picked himself up, dusted himself down and went again, confident that South Africa would succeed next time round.
He was right.
A country’s entire infrastructure had to be upgraded, new stadiums built, telecommunications revolutionised, billions spent on transforming a nation that had only emerged from apartheid a few years previously.
But you only had to look at that same face on the eve of Africa’s first ever World Cup to know exactly what it meant to the man who has become the public face of South Africa’s bid – the culmination of a 14-year dream.
Jordaan acknowledges there have been too many empty seats and that transport facilities could be improved but the mere fact that the eyes of the world are on his country is a huge deal for this most modest of men.
From day one, Jordaan has fended off criticism of South Africa’s notorious crime rate, haphazard organisation and racial divides.
Always smiling, always positive.
Results on the pitch may not have gone according to plan but if anyone deserves the World Cup to be a success, it is the former ANC Parliamentarian and current chief executive of the local organising committee after such an exhaustive personal crusade.
“I remember when Nelson Mandela walked out of that prison in 1990,” said Jordaan.
“We struggled so long to bring it about.
“It was an incredible day when the prison door opened.
“I remember too when everyone in this country was allowed to vote, black and white.
“Now we have the World Cup.
“This is, if you like, another Mandela moment.
“It’s been a long wait.
Right up to the last weeks, let alone months, the cynics said South Africa couldn’t pull it off, that its deep-rooted poverty would prove too great an obstacle to overcome.
Jordaan, fired up by international scepticism, smiles as he considers all the misconceptions.
“People said that when Mandela was released it would be the beginning of trouble.
“When we were about to vote people said it would be the beginning of bloodshed and race war.
“And we have had the same headlines before the World Cup, that it would be chaos, that it would not happen.
“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.”
Jordaan, 58, admits there were times, beneath that calm demeanour, when he got irritated by all the brickbats.
“I’ve been on a long journey and at times it was difficult.
“But this will have a huge impact on the African Continent and I’ll tell you why.
“We have shown that Africa can make promises, keep those promises and deliver - something that was previously understood as being anything but African.
“Everyone said we would not be ready.
“It’s a psychological barrier that has been crossed.”
Although they controversially lost out to Germany four years ago, South Africa’s 2006 campaign kicked England’s firmly into touch.
Jordaan couldn’t resist a dig at the English with whom he has since become the firmest of friends, including Sir Bobby Charlton (pictured).
“I remember the late Sports Minister Tony Banks told me that anyone who rated South Africa a better World Cup host than England must believe Elvis is still alive and living on the Moon.
“I kept telling them over three years that the race was actually between South Africa and Germany.
“I hope they take my advice next time!”
What Jordaan will do next is anyone’s guess.
There are suggestions he might head an Olympic bid by Durban by that is a long way off.
“What I do know is that I’ll need a rest.
“My life has been driven by major moments.
“Who knows, maybe I’ll go and work in a post office.
“I’ve seen enough struggles.”
Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1735579129labto1735579129ofdlr1735579129owedi1735579129sni@w1735579129ahsra1735579129w.wer1735579129dna1735579129