Dear Editor,

The World Cup is around the corner and Guyanese everywhere have to be excited at the prospects of seeing this great spectacle unfold in South Africa this summer. South Africa has gone to great lengths to prepare for this premier world event and the stadium sites where the Cup will be played for, are the best in the world- the whole of Africa must be proud of this accomplishment . The teams which will assemble this year in S. Africa represent the best players in the world and the competition will be at the highest level.

Editor, the World Cup festivities will begin at 8pm on June 10 and music stars from around the world and Africa will entertain the whole world with one of the greatest musical shows; Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas,Vieux Farka Toure, Shakira, Angelique Kidjo and many other performers will be giving a musical extravaganza which will herald the opening match at the newly refurbished Soccer City Stadium, where years ago, President Nelson Mandela made his first speech after being released from prison after 27 years. Soccer City will also be the venue for the final match which over one billion people will see worldwide and which will make Africa proud. The other venues throughout South Africa are all brand new or have been expensively renovated to accommodate visitors from all over the world; each stadium has its own innovative blend and character which fits the environment and people of that particular area of the South African Republic. Spectators will flock from all over the world with the Americans first, followed by the British, according to official statistics; imagine just a short while ago S.Africa was a renegade country where their teams were the pariahs of world sport is now hosting this top sporting event!  The African countries competing will be trying hard to bring the Cup to Africa for the first time and I believe the Cameroon and Ghana teams will have a lot to say about that; football in Africa has come a long way in the last decade and upsets by these teams will be the forerunner to exciting times as the final approaches.

There are 24 teams competing and they are divided into 6 groups (A to H ) of 4 teams each in a knock-out competition to go on to the quarter finals for another round of knock-outs for the semi-finals, where 4 teams will be left to advance to the finals. These groups are as follows with FIFA rankings as to the team’s position in the world:

A-France (7); Mexico (17); Uruguay (20); S.Africa (85). /

B-Argentina(8); Greece(13); Nigeria(22); S.Korea(52)/

C-England(9); USA(14); Algeria(26); Slovenia(31)/

D-Serbia(19); Germany(6); Australia(21); Ghana(34)/

E-Netherlands(3); Cameroon(11); Japan(43); Denmark(28)/

F-Italy(4); Paraguay(29); Slovakia(33) ;New Zealand(82)/

G-Brazil(2); Portugal(5); Ivory Coast(16); N.Korea(86) /

H-Spain(1); Switzerland(18); Honduras(37); Chile(37)/

Editor, if any sport can claim the prize of being a true world event, it is football’s World Cup with its fast paced, high action momentum and its burning competitiveness as nations vie for the coveted trophy, made of solid pure gold. The spectators at this event are all connected by a fierce nationalism and pride in their country’s team where winning and advancing to the finals, creates a national euphoria, bringing each nation a celebration unequaled in any other sport. Many football lovers know that rankings and previous performances most times mean nothing in this competition because a team’s nationalism rises to the surface, fueled by their supporters in the stands, to create upsets and weaknesses in the other team’s performance.

Since a teenager, I have always found time to listen to or to look at the World Cup, remembering the great finals with all the excitement that anyone who loves sports could find and remember for the rest of his or her life. Football is the one sport where all the world holds its collective breath until the end of the competition and at the end, the spirit of competing nations is still intact and alive to prepare for the next round in four years time. I would be lacking if  I did not identify the team which I think will win this World Cup and that is why I can say, with conviction, that in my opinion, England (where football started) will be the winner of this fabulous prize in 2010.

Yours faithfully,
Cheddi(Joey)Jagan(Jr.)