Spain’s World Cup shows that Pigs can fly
The lesson Spaniards will take to their hearts is that, no matter how tough the challenge ahead, all you have to do to reach the promised land is persevere, writes José Ignacio Torreblanca
World Cup 2010
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South Africa hosts the first football World Cup finals to be held on the African continent from June 11-July 11 2010
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Madrid fetes Spain’s World Cup winners
Spanish World Cup victors return to heroes’ welcome in Madrid amid predictions that their victory would boost economic growth and strengthen national unity
Netherlands kick, Spain score
Iniesta finds space as other players flag in extra time
Ill temper in Soweto and celebrations in Madrid
Tournament triumph for South African hosts
Catalans struggle to reconcile loyalties
Madrid hopes football eases separatist rancour
Mandela gets tournament’s loudest cheer
Former president appears at closing ceremony
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Comment and analysis
After the rapture, how to make Africa roar
Inspiring as this World Cup has been, should investors see South Africa as the conduit to the next great frontier, asks Alec Russell
On level terms
South Africa’s tournament has defied all the predictions of psychics and experts. The most important was that the hosts would fail to “pull it off”
After the final
The South African government is too often inefficient. The World Cup has shown that it does not have to be that way. If lessons are drawn from the tournament, all South Africans will be winners
Football lessons for Africa’s exiles
Football is one of the most visible signs of Africa’s skills exodus: the players represent just a tiny proportion of the skilled Africans of all trades and professions who leave the continent, writes Petina Gappah
La folie à onze
For all the glamour, spending on sports personalities can be high risk. It would be a useful lesson if the French debacle led to a shift towards advertising based more closely on the merits of the product
South Africa’s trial by World Cup
If the South African government takes some of the energy that it deployed to put on a successful football tournament – and applies it to real-world problems – then the World Cup might yet be a turning point, writes Gideon Rachman
Hail to the new world (cup) order
In two weeks the tournament will be over and the normal grim global problems will be back. But until July 11, the eyes of the world will be focused on the football stadiums of South Africa, writes Gideon Rachman
In war as in sport, talent will test the men in suits
People often fall out when joint endeavours go badly; but there is an added edge when those joint ventures are being played out in public, writes, writes Gideon Rachman
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