Fuente: © FIFA World Cup (English)
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WORLD CUP 2006: Black Stars’ fans keen to see the trophy again… in July!

/noticias.info/ The second day of festivities on the Ghanaian leg of the FIFA World Cup trophy tour offered the fans a chance to – almost – touch the Holy Grail itself. At Accra’s International Conference Center, the supporters’ session staged all day on 7th January saw over 4,000 fans of the beautiful game line up to see the Cup and take part in the activities on offer.

The centre opened its doors at 9am on 7th January, but it was a couple of hours before the first fans began arriving to sate their curiosity. First it was the turn of the children, who came to admire the trophy and play football, then by late morning, the trickle had turned into a flood. The day was divided into two main parts. First, the 3-D film presenting the trophy was shown in the amphitheatre, before the spectators were permitted to pass in front of the much coveted cup to see it up close.

In the auditorium, murmurs of admiration could be heard throughout the 3-D film showcasing the winners of each tournament since 1974. When the screen displayed the Black Stars’ triumphant qualification, the applause reached a crescendo, but the excitement truly reached fever pitch when, after the end of the film, the host asked: “do you really want to see the trophy? Are you sure?”

In a very orderly fashion, all the fans then proceeded to form a queue to get near the famous trophy. “It’s really quite superb, this trophy! I wanted to hold it, even to kiss it!” enthused Emmanuel Mensah, a young man sporting a Black Stars’ strip. Terry Cobbson’s eyes shone as he explained: “I’m here to see the trophy, that’s all I care about. For me, it’s a dream come true.”

Admiring Silvio Gazzaniga’s masterpiece was not the sole attraction of the day. In the immense park adjacent to the centre, one could play football in the morning, listen to concerts in the afternoon, or even play table football. And all the activities proved a rip-roaring success.

But a single thought was haunting the minds of the thousands of Ghanaians in attendance. “What I really want is for us to bring this trophy back to Ghana next July. I’m sure we’ll reach the final and beat Brazil to win it,” asserted Emmanuel Owusu with a beaming smile.
Appiah and Essien: the two icons

One particular strength of the Black stars seemed to be on the lips of every fan. “It’s a united team, and that’s what will make the difference. But the players are also talented and hungry for success,” opined Terry. Abdallah, meanwhile, was endeavouring to keep his feet on the ground. “I’m not sure they’ll be able to win it, but I do see them making the semi-final. The team has come on leaps and bounds in recent months.”

Many fans are counting on the two stars of the side, whose names they repeat like mantras. “This team has a lot of potential, but Stephen Appiah is the best player,” adjudged James Lokko. For Emmanuel Owusu, “the team has numerous assets, is gifted in many areas and is a very effective unit. But Michael Essien is the player that really makes them tick.”

Hunched over a table football machine, Agyakwe concurs. “This is quite simply a fantastic team, and Michael Essien is its heart and soul.” Emmanuel Mensah predicts: “I believe that the team will achieve great things in Germany, as everyone here is expecting them to. Led by Stephen Appiah, we will go all the way to the final and beat the Germans, I tell you now!”, he insists. For many Ghanaians, a final against the German hosts would be the ultimate dream.

While they are genuine unconditional supporters of Ghana and the FIFA World Cup, they are first and foremost lovers of football. Emmanuel, for example, admires Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Agyakwe swears by the skills of Alessandro Del Piero, while Abdallah is a huge fan of Petr Cech.

All are wearing beaming smiles, for seeing the trophy up close-up has truly brought home the reality that their country has actually qualified for world football’s showpiece event. “We are football, we love football. We dream of being able to win this trophy, and we definitely have the potential,” declares Amon.

When the fans are asked how best to define their country, two particular adjectives keep on cropping up: "peaceful and welcoming”. And when you see all these Ghanaians at the International Conference Center, as pleased as punch merely to catch a glimpse of the World Cup trophy, it would be hard to disagree... notas_de_prensa_archivo