Nelson Mandela came out and greeted fans ahead of Sunday's World Cup final at Soccer City Stadium. The almost 92-year-old anti-apartheid icon then went home and to watch the final between Spain and Netherlands.
Nelson Mandela's family claim that FIFA has put extreme pressure on South Africa's former president to attend the World Cup final on Sunday. Mandela has kept a low profile during the monthlong tournament, having decided against attending the opening game on June 11 following the death of his great granddaughter.
The World Cup final will be attended by scores of kings, queens, princes, princesses and head of states, lead by South African President Jacob Zuma (pictured left). Spain will be represented by Queen Sofia, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia, will the other finalist, the Netherlands has the Prince of Orange, Willem-Alexander, and his wife princess Máxima on hand, along with Prince Pieter-Christiaan.
Prince Albert II of Monaco and his financee Charlene Wittstock are expected, as are the Kings of Swaziland and Lesotho. Jordan's Queen Rania is in South Africa to promote the 1Goald for education campaign, and newly elected German President Christian Wulff handed out third place medals to the German football team on Saturday evening after Germany beat Uruguay 3:2.
A full line up of African heads of state was not available prior to the Final, but South African officials said earlier that the leaders of Zimbabwe, Kenya, the Comores, Mozambique and Gabon were planning to attend, and that presidents of Malawi, Burundi, Djibouti, Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea were still considering.
Other prominent guests expected in Johannesburg: Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda and Zimbabwean Prime Minsiter Morgan Tsvangirai. © GPD; with AP. Photos by GPD © AP
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