JOHANNESBURG The pair of Nike boots won by South African midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala in the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening against Mexico will be kept by the South African Football Association (SAFA) as part of an historical monument, the soccer body said last week.Tshabalala, a left-footed midfielder plying his trade in the ABSA Premiership with Naturena-based glamour club, Kaizer Chiefs, sent a packed Soccer City stadium into raptures when he let fly a scorcher that set the hosts up for a 1-1 draw with the Mexicans.
Mexico later drew level through the boot of their skipper, Rafael Marquez, and held on for a draw, but that did not take the sting out of Tshabalalas goal, which was celebrated in and out of South Africa as one of the best goals of the tournament.
SAFA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Leslie Sedibe told Parliament last week that Tshabalalas boots would be permanently kept at SAFA house.
We are documenting the best moments in Africas first ever World Cup and Tshabalala himself knows that the boots no longer belong to him but the nation as a whole because they symbolise a historic moment for this country, said Sedibe.
We have communicated that to him and he fully understands where we are coming from with this. That strike was a moment that sent the whole country into celebration and we want it to continue being exhibited for the remainder of our lifetime.
Tshabalalas left-footer, which has already been entered in the annals of history as both the first ever strike of that magnitude at the renovated Soccer City and was the opening goal of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, was last week nominated among the best goals of the just-ended tournament.
Also in the running is Carlos Tevez’s long-range strike for Argentina , also ironically against Mexico at Soccer City , but in the round of 16.
Others to be nominated include Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez’s curling shot against Korea Republic, also in round 16, while Netherlands skipper Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s stunner against Uruguay in the semifinals in Cape Town has also made the cut.
Golden Ball Award winner – Diego Forlan of the Uruguay, is also in line for the award for his left-footed strike from outside the box against Germany in the third place play-off at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium on July 10.
Fans vote for the best goal, the winner will be announced in a few weeks time.
Post published in: Football