But surely we can be forgiven for taking one last day to bask in the afterglow and pat ourselves on the back for pulling off such a successful bash?
With a nail biting final seeing a volatile clash of red and orange going into almost a full 30 minutes extra time before Spain took the victory - not to mention a deck of 14 yellow cards plus one red dished out by the ref - the 2010 FIFA World Cup culminated in an incredible grande finale at Soccer City Stadium last night with spectacular fireworks lighting up the sky above the jubilant Spanish team and their fans.
Here's a quick trip down memory lane over the past 4 and a bit weeks.
One day we'll look back and say: "Do you remember..."
- The ever increasing numbers of flags and mirror socks on cars in the weeks leading up to kick off
- The all-night ticketing queues
- The songs - Waka Waka, Wave Your Flag, The Sound of a Victory
- The Bavaria beer orange mini skirt debacle
- The Kulula and Nando's adverts
- Sepp Blatter - everywhere you looked
- The fan who found his way into the England team's changing room (or was it all planned..?)
- The Cape Town fan walk which turned the Mother City streets into a sea of celebrating humanity
- The fan parades and fan jols throughout the land.
- Tshabalala's first goal in the first game against Mexico - also the first World Cup goal on African soil.
- The nation's pain of Bafana's loss to Uruguay and celebrations of the Boy's bitter sweet victory over France
- The visuals of a distraught Ghana team after their quarter-final loss to Uruguay
- That hand ball which made Suarez the most-hated man in Africa
- The love / hate vuvuzela debate that raged throughout the tournament
- The phrases 'Ke Nako', "Feel it, it is here" and "AYOBA!"
What will YOU always remember about the 2010 FIFA World Cup?
Congratulations to us all on believing the impossible and living the dream.
To all who visited us for the event, please come again soon!
All images: Axel Bührmann. Creative Commons License
