Footballs, T-shirts, Ceremony at Stadium

It is interesting to learn more about the things running at a stadium in South Africa before and during a soccer match.

The kickoff footballs (they call them - Jabulani 普天同慶) used in each match look much the same except that the countries to play the game (Germany, Spain), the date of match (7, July, 2010), the name of stadium played in (Durban Stadium, Durban) are also printed on them. Not only these footballs become meaningful to the football-players, but they will become souvenirs in football museums in the respective countries if there are any. I wonder if the footballs will be marked with the result of the game afterwards.

I notice that the T-shirts worn by the German football players bore the names of the participating countries of the game (Deutschland – Spanien), the date (7, Juli, 2010) and the site of play (at Durban).

Each time, two FIFA flags and the flags of the two participating countries are displayed in the centre of the field. The football players line up on two sides. The National Athems of the two countries are played and the players of the two sides shake hands with one another and also with the referees. One of the team leaders of the two teams chooses the side of field after a coin is tossed by the Chief referee. The Game starts with the blow of the whistle of the Chief referee.

Please Double-click to get the largest picture.