BLATTER LAUDS AFRICA'S FIRST WORLD CUP

Italian footballer, Fabio Cannavaro, captain of the 2006 World Cup winning team presents the World Cup trophy prior to the 2010 final

Fifa's President, Sepp Blatter, has declared the first World Cup in Africa a big success. As the World Cup drew to a close, Blatter, who played a pivotal role in the continent's hosting the global showpiece, was full of praise for Africa.

'We are not done with the World Cup, but you can see a president who is satisfied. I'm a very happy man,' he said.

'I said from the beginning that we trust Africa… it was trust and confidence. I always defended the decision we had taken. When I was asked about plan B, I said plan B is South Africa and plan C is South Africa, that's how much we trusted South Africa.'

Blatter further lavished praise on South Africa's match venues, going as far as saying no European country can claim to have the stadia so beautiful.

'These stadia are real jewels from the architectural point of view; they are really, really good stadia and wherever the spectators are in the stadium, they have a complete view of the pitch.

'This is an example for further construction of stadia and there is not one single European country that has so many good and high level stadia that are available in South Africa … Not one single European country. Africa can be proud to have organised this World Cup,' he said.

For Blatter, however, the World Cup would be complete if the elder state man, Nelson Mandela, could make it to the final. 'It will be a wonderful moment for him, football and for Africa if he can make it to the final,' he added.