Golden boot contenders for the 2010 World Cup

There have been some incredible goals in the FIFA World Cup so far, starting with what could be the goal of the tournament, by Bafana Bafana’s Siphiwe Tshabalala.

The top goal scorers as of this morning, 27 June 2010, were as follows:

This table may look very different after tonight’s games! Look out for an update during the week.

If you’re heading down to Cape Town to support your team in the upcoming games, be sure to check out our gourmet backpackers, with private rooms for R400/ night.

Source: www.goal.com

The rhythm of the South African nation has united

The World Cup is here and the rhythm of the South African nation has united like never before.  The world’s most expensive and top players are also here to make a contribution to their respective teams during the tournament.  

The greatest players such as Christiano Ronaldo (Portugal and Real Mandrid), Lionel Messi (Argentina and Barcelona), Luis Fabiano (Brazil and Sevilla), David Villa (Spain and Barcellona), Wayne Rooney (England and Manchester United), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands and Inter Milan), Gianluca Buffon (Italy and Juventus) and Miroslave Klose (Germany and Bayern Munich) have spearheaded the matches.

The atmosphere of the country certainly convinces any individual about the quality of the hospitality offered by South Africans to the tourists who are here for the celebration of the first FIFA World Cup to be held on African soil.

Different melodies and sounds make this World Cup truly African, especially the vuvuzela, which is a horn-like instrument that is commonly blown by fans at football matches in South Africa. Throughout entire matches, supporters blow their vuvuzelas hysterically in an attempt to intimidate and stir-up competition with the opponents.

The games have been interesting and challenging.  Many teams in their different groups such as Brazil (Group G), Uruguay (Group A), Germany (Group D) and Argentina (Group B) have shown dominance over the matches they have played. With only three weeks left before the end of the tournament, who do you think will take the championship title at the 2010 FIFA World Cup?

Issued by: Lebogang Mawelela

Your top World Cup contenders

All the teams competing in the 2010 Soccer World Cup have one goal in mind – Lifting that coveted golden trophy high above their heads, come 11 July 2010. They play for the glory, the pride and the adoration of their country.

Some players however, have dreams of lifting a more personal trophy as well. – The golden boot award. This is the award given to the top scorer at each World Cup tournament.

This award is hotly contested and it has proven to be a favourite amongst the fans as well. Fans have taken to betting on who will win this individual award and it has become quite a lucrative business.

This year’s favourites are:

David Villa – Spain

Lionel Messi – Argentina

Wayne Rooney – England

Luis Fabiano – Brazil

Fernando Torres – Spain

These are not the only players competing for the prize though. Other players such as Robin van Persie (Netherlands) and Christiano Ronaldo (Portugal), who won the golden boot in the 2002 Soccer World Cup, are also on the list of players to watch.

If you are staying in accommodation in Cape Town during the World Cup, you might even the get the chance to see Luis Fabiano and many of the other Brazilian players in action, so you can judge their skills for yourself.

If you haven’t booked your World Cup accommodation yet, go to www.highsteadhouses.co.za for affordable accommodation in Cape Town.

For the full list of players with betting odds, go to http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/140/world-cup-2010/2010/06/08/1964686/world-cup-2010-from-lionel-messi-to-wayne-rooney-who-are-the

Public Transport in Cape Town during the World Cup

There is lots of accessible and affordable public transport running during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, which is available from or near the Civic Centre bus station in Hertzog Boulevard in the city centre, and from Cape Town Rail Station. These are within easy walking distance of each other.

A free shuttle bus service for match ticket holders will run from the Civic Centre bus station to Cape Town Stadium in Green Point. This service will operate from six hours before kick-off, until four hours after the final whistle. Buses will depart every three to five minutes, depending on demand.

Great news for Highstead House guests is that there will also be a free bus service from the park-and-ride facility on the University of Cape Town’s Upper Campus in Rondebosch (5 minutes walk from our gourmet backpackers) to the Civic Centre bus station. The hours of operation will be from four hours before kick-off until four after final whistle.

The inner-city bus service, which will run 24 hours a day, will travel from the Civic Centre bus station, along DF Malan Street, Table Bay Boulevard, Heerengracht, Coen Steytler Avenue, Long Street and Loop Street, Buitensingel, Orange Street, Buitenkant Street, Darling Street, Oswald Pirow Street, and back to the Civic Centre bus station. This route also provides convenient access to numerous restaurants, entertainment areas, parking areas, and places of interest. Each journey will cost R8, and buses will depart every 10 to 30 minutes.

Road closures during the World Cup event will be kept to a minimum. However, some roads will be pedestrian-only zones, while access to others will only be for vehicles with the necessary security clearance and event accreditation. To find out exactly which roads will be affected by the World Cup festivities please visit www.capetownpartnership.co.za

Image source: propertyinvesting.net

Is your favourite destined to win the 2010 Soccer World Cup?

As a loyal supporter of which ever team you might have chosen, you obviously believe they are not only going to do well but dominate and win the 2010 Soccer World Cup. After all having faith in your team is what makes you a true supporter.

But there is something to be said for statistics and cold hard facts. Here is what is most likely to happen in the World Cup based on the teams’ past performances, rankings and attack/ defence ratings:

The predicted winner of the 2010 Soccer World Cup will be Brazil with a 23.4% chance of winning, followed (not so closely) by Spain, with a 17.0% chance of winning.

If you have bought tickets to the semi finals and are just dying to know who exactly it is that you will be watching, here is the most likely outcome:

England vs. Brazil (With Brazil the likely candidate to win)

Argentina vs. Spain (With Spain the likely candidate to win)

Setting up a phenomenal Spain vs. Brazil final

But do not despair; this is purely based on past performances. We have seen numerous times in past World Cups and international soccer games alike that the underdog often comes out tops.

So if you support France or Nigeria, Germany or USA, or any other team participating in this year’s World Cup, be a true supporter. Stick with your team and show them the support they need. After all, it’s about the game not who wins or loses.

If you have tickets to watch the semi final taking place in Cape Town and have not got a place to stay yet, go to www.highsteadhouses.co.za for affordable accommodation.

Pimp your ride – South African style

For those of you coming to stay at accommodation in Cape Town during the World Cup, you will find that the cars in South Africa look a little different to what you are accustomed to.

Wherever you go in Cape Town, you will see Capetonians and tourists alike who are driving around with flags draped over their bonnet or roof, stuck to their windows or covering the side mirrors of their own or even rental cars.

Most people see it as a sign of patriotism and support for their country as well in the upcoming World Cup, but what many don’t know is how it got started. The flag drive began as a part of the ‘Fly the Flag campaign’ aimed at creating awareness and support for the Soccer World Cup.

There is however a slight problem with all this patriotism – People don’t always seem to know which way round to fly the flag.The South African flag has a right and a wrong way to be flown. Flying the flag the wrong way round is a big no no! Here is a tip that makes it easy to remember if you are going to be flying the South African flag – The red is on top like the sun is above us and the blue at the bottom like the sea below us. As simple as that.

If you are a visitor to South Africa and want to ‘pimp’ your car out to what is becoming the norm for Cape Town and South Africa as an entirety, do not worry. There are still plenty of places selling flags in all shapes and sizes and for all countries, from Brazil to Nigeria, from France to South Africa, you will be able to ensure that your car is officially pimped – the SA way.

Mirror socks and flags are available at almost all roadside vendors and hawkers on the streets or at markets. The mirror socks are proving to be the most popular item and are in high demand. Prices range anywhere from R80 at street vendors up to R140 in stores. You can also purchase them online at http://www.driveithome.co.za which supports the Supersport ‘Let’s Play’ initiative.

How to transfer FIFA World Cup tickets

If you bought a World Cup ticket for your girlfriend who is now an ex-girlfriend, or got a little over excited when the World Cup ticket sales started and have ended up with one too many, you may be able to get a refund or give the extra one to someone else.

To qualify for a ticket transfer you need to have bought your World Cup tickets online via www.FIFA.com or via official paper ticket application forms. If you bought them as part of Authorized Travel Packages or Official Hospitality Packages you should contact the Hospitality Agents directly for all customer service issues.

If you qualify to transfer your ticket, you can do it in two ways: a ticket transfer to someone you know or a ticket resale, where you will receive a refund if your ticket is resold.

Guest ticket transfer

If you want to transfer a ticket from one guest to another you need to submit a transfer request online within the “View your application” menu item of www.FIFA.com/2010 or at a FIFA Ticketing Centre within South Africa. You will also need to give a ‘valid reason’ for transferring the ticket. This can be done from now up until three days before the match that you have tickets for.

Valid reasons for guest ticket transfers include things like a guest being ill or unable to obtain a valid visa to travel to South Africa. Documentation may be required to establish the grounds for the valid reason, and FIFA retains the right to refuse a transfer if the supporting documents are not supplied upon request.

Unfortunately you can’t transfer your own ticket, however if you can’t attend a match you can submit it for possible resale.

Ticket Resales

You need to go through authorized sales channels to resell your ticket, and do it before you have printed out a hard ticket. You will only get a refund if your ticket is resold, and there is no guarantee that this will happen. If your Tickets are resold, you’ll receive a refund no later than 4 weeks after the final match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, less a 10% administration fee.

You will also have the opportunity to give tickets that you cannot use to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Ticket Fund, which is a programme designed to allocate tickets for worthy social and development initiatives within South Africa. Read more on FIFA.com.

If you’re coming to Cape Town and haven’t organised your accommodation yet make sure you check out our gourmet backpackers, Highstead House, with private rooms for R600/ night.

Can Cristiano step up to the plate?

The captain of Portugal needs little introduction, Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most famous football players in the world. As with all supremely talented sports stars, there are those that adore him and those that deplore him. The general rule of thumb is that those who adore him support the team he plays for and those that deplore him support the team he plays against.

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro started playing “formal” football at the age of eight. He played for an amateur team in Portugal called Andorinha. As a player bursting with talent he was swiftly spotted by a professional Portuguese club called Sporting CP who signed him for an undisclosed amount. Before long he made waves in the English football world when Sporting CP defeated Manchester United in 2003. Ronaldo’s performance left an impression on some of the Manchester United players who encouraged Sir Alex Ferguson to sign him on.

Ronaldo shot to fame when stepped into the rather large boots of David Beckham at Manchester United. Alex Ferguson insisted that Ronaldo wear the Number 7 jersey, the same number that Beckham had immortalized in his years at Manchester United.

Ronaldo’s career has been nothing short of astonishing, his achievements in club football are so numerous that listing them would probably bore you, so here are some of his most noteworthy achievements to date:

• In the 2006 – 2007 season Ronaldo was named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, the PFA Young Player of the Year awards and the PFA Fans’ Player of the Year. Ronaldo was also one of eight Manchester United players named in the 2006–07 PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
• He finished as the runner-up to Kaká for the 2007 Ballon d’Or, and was third in the running for the FIFA World Player of the Year award, behind Kaká and Lionel Messi
• In 2008 Ronaldo became Manchester United’s first Ballon d’Or recipient since George Best in 1968 and went on to win FIFA World Player of the year.

What is simply astonishing is that Ronaldo’s has amassed all these (and other) accolades before his 25^th birthday.

Although his club football career is littered with trophies and awards he has not been able to achieve the same success playing for his country. There is also a question mark surrounding his ability to lead and his appointment as captain of Portugal.  Can he step up to the plate and lead his team to lift the coveted trophy? Time will tell.

With just a couple of days until the World Cup starts, time is running out to book your accommodation.  If you have not booked somewhere to stay in Cape Town yet, click here to book accommodation at Highstead House.

Sources:

Wikipedia

Image sourced from fistedaway.wordpress.com

Have you got your dance moves ready for the 2010 World Cup?

Let me guess, some of us are wondering if we’ll gain weight this winter with all of the invites to events during the World Cup. You don’t have to be a recluse and decline the party invitations as there are ways to party it up and keep fit and healthy at the same time. There’ll be no watching the games indoors, all alone, with a cup of soup on the couch. So let the dancing begin!

To get into the mood and get the party started, you can simply listen to the South African Afro-Fusion band, Freshlyground and Shakira’s newly released song “Waka Waka”. It is an official 2010 Football World Cup song which incorporates the element of the band’s unique sound with Shakira. The tone of the song will transform you into the soulful atmosphere of Africa and get your body moving.

The music video is remarkable and builds anticipation for the World Cup. Take a look at the ‘in the making’ video and listen to the song below – the official video is due to be launched soon and is the first ever 3-D music video to be produced.

Our guess is that ‘party central’ will undoubtedly be the Mother City, here you will definitely be accommodated with some of the best hospitality in the world. Cape Town is known for its rich heritage values, affordable accommodation prices, lifestyle and historical elements of South Africa as a whole.

The cheap accommodation in Cape Town offers you the perfect party lifestyle as it’s modern, authentic and only 5 minutes walk from essential places such as banks, restaurants, bars and the Rondebosch train station.  You definitely won’t be late for the games either, as this accommodation is less than 20 minutes away from the Cape Town football stadium and  international airport.

Thanks to Lebogang Mawelela for this guest post.

Come for the soccer, stay for the food

If you are staying at a self catering accommodation in Cape Town during the 2010 Soccer World Cup and don’t feel like spending your time preparing food, don’t worry – Cape Town has plenty of great places to eat with amazing winter specials.

From seafood to steak, from sushi to burgers, from cocktails to French Champagne and everything in between, Cape Town restaurants have it all to offer.

Even if you are travelling on a budget during your trip to Cape Town, you can still eat like a king or queen. As the Soccer World Cup will be taking place during winter, many restaurants have great winter specials on for you to take advantage of.

Some of the specials on offer during the World Cup are at:

1800 in the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel, Main Road, Green Point(021 430 0506): Amuse-Bouche + 200 gram sirloin, rump, rib-eye steak or sirloin, sauce of your choice + Side order for R99 (Request parking when booking).

Active Sushi 63 Strand St 021 422 0462 – Eat as much sushi as you like R99 (Every day 5pm – 10:30pm)

Arnold’s, Gardens 021 424 4344 – Delicious stew + couscous, bottle of Altydgedacht Red for R99 (Dinner only)

Beluga Prestwich Street, Greenpoint 021 418 2948 – Half price sushi before 7pm. 1kg Tiger prawns R109.00, Beluga Blue Plate special 24 pieces sushi R109.00

Cape Town Fish Market V&A Waterfront Cape Town: Salmon special, 1 course R 54,95, 2 courses R 69,95, 3 courses R 89,95, Buy a bottle of Durbanville Hills Wine and get a free Greek table salad.

Gold Restaurant 96 Strand Street 021 421 4653: 14 Course Set Menu, Interactive Drumming Session (6:30pm-7pm), guided museum tour, arrival cocktail, liver entertainment. R300pp or R250pp without the drumming.

For the full list of restaurants with fantastic winter specials on offer go to: www.thecru.co.za