On
the 5th September the world’s biggest football tournament for kids between 10
and 12 years old, the Danone Nations Cup World Finals, kicks off in London,
England, and representing South Africa will be a team from a school based in
the dusty streets of Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga, Daniye Primary School. The
school will be one of 32 countries that will compete in the 14th edition of the
tournament, with four teams representing Africa: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and
South Africa.
The
English Government is fully behind the initiative. “I'm delighted that London will host the 2013
World Final of the Danone Nations Cup,” said Hugh Robertson, British Minister
of Sport and Tourism. “More than 400 children and their families from 32
countries will travel to the capital to take part in the World Final at the
iconic Wembley Stadium and I'm sure they will be given a warm welcome and have
a wonderful experience during their stay in the UK. “
Robertson
says the tournament will help bring awareness to sport and exercise to the
youth in Britain. “Helping more children participate in sport is a key part of
delivering a legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and so
one year on there is no better place for the World Final to be held. With over
2 million children participating in the competition worldwide, and over 40,000
in England, it's a great example of how this competition is playing its part in
increasing sports participation amongst young people.”
“The
2013 Danone Nations Cup World Final has been officially recognised as 'Inspired
By 2012', and can use the emblem of the 2012 legacy campaign. By bringing this
competition to the UK on the anniversary of the 2012 Games, Danone has shown
real commitment to helping deliver a sustainable activity, health and sports
legacy.
For
Danone, the tournament is a way of putting into practice the company's mission,
‘to bring health through food to as many people as possible’, by teaching
children about the positive values of sport, and the importance of a proper
diet and exercise. To help drive the
message each country is encouraged to bring a football celebrity on board. The tournament ambassador is Zinedine Zidane
and in South Africa is Neil Tovey, ex Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs captain.
Other ambassadors,
many of whom will be in London to watch their country include:
Algeria
/ Tarek Hadj Adlane
Famous
former striker in the Algerian league.
Saudi
Arabia / Mohamed Al Schalhoub
A
professional footballer for the best-known club in the country, Al-Hilal FCB.
Argentina
/ Javier Zanetti
Former
captain of the Argentina national team.
Belarus
/ Alexander Hleb
Formerly
at Arsenal and Barcelona now currently plays for FC BATE Borisov.
Belgium
/ Denis Odoi
Competed
as a player in the Danone Nations Cup in 2000 and currently plays in defence
for RSC Anderlecht.
Brazil
/ Cafu
Cafu
is the most capped player in the history of the Brazilian national team (148).
Bulgaria
/ Dimitar Berbatov
Plays
for English Premier League side, Fulham.
Canada
/ Ashtone Morgan
Currently
plays for Toronto FC.
Chile
/ Diego Rivarola
Argentine
player who plays as a striker for a Chilean club.
Spain
/ Vicente del Bosque
A
former Spanish international and currently manager of the Spanish national
team.
England
/ Tom Ince
Currently
plays in the Championship for Blackpool FC as a winger.
France
/ Christophe Dugarry
Former
international striker. Winner of the World Cup in 1998 and European
Championship in 2000.
Germany
/ Michael Ballack
Star
of German football, three times voted Germany's best player and retired a few
months ago.
Japan
/ Tsuyoshi Kitazawa
Former
Japanese professional footballer.
Netherlands
/ Richard Krajicek
Former
Dutch tennis star, who won the Wimbledon men's singles title in 1996 by beating
Pete Sampras.
Romania
/ Gheorghe Hagi
Played
for Real Madrid, Barcelona and Galatasaray. He is currently a coach.
Ukraine
/ Maxim Shatskikh
Former
emblematic striker for Dynamo Kiev, where he played for ten years.
