Friday is an emotional day for South Africa as the country is formally handed the reins to host Africa's first World Cup - a day which, according to Bafana Bafana legend Mark Fish, proves that "if you believe, dreams can come true".
President Thabo Mbeki is in Berlin as Fifa president Sepp Blatter presides at a handing-over ceremony at which South Africa will take over from Germany as the hosts of the Soccer World Cup in 2010.
Chippa Masinga, who scored the famous long-range goal against Congo that enabled Bafana Bafana to qualify for their first World Cup appearance in France in 1998, said: "Today's a great day not only for South Africa, but for the whole of Africa."
He and Fish are among the 2010 ambassadors in Berlin, along with African soccer greats like Lucas Radebe, Liberia's George Weah, Ghana's Abedi Pele, Cameroon's Roger Milla, Zambia's Kalusha Bwalya and Morocco's Mustapha Hadji.
Estimates are that the World Cup will boost South Africa's economy to the tune of R21-billion and create over 150 000 jobs, with the government budgeting R5-billion to build and renovate 10 stadiums for the tournament and billions more to upgrade the country's transport network.
While acknowledging that it would be a challenge taking the World Cup to Africa for the first time, Blatter has nevertheless strongly come to South Africa's support this week.
"In South Africa, there are problems. Will the stadiums be built? Will they be on time? We are perfectly aware of the great task that is required for staging the World Cup and South Africa needs help. We have established our own secretariat in Johannesburg and we shall take charge of ticketing.
"South Africa is a multi-cultural country where you have different tribes and you require a certain kind of intelligence to bring these forces together.
"Also the country's presidential elections will be held before the World Cup. But we are sure we will cope," said Blatter.
South Africa 2010 chief executive Danny Jordaan said: "We want the event to showcase South Africa and also to leave an enduring and lasting legacy for the whole continent. We are determined to succeed."
For all the infrastructure requirements and logistics of hosting the world's biggest sporting event, Fish says the World Cup is also about what the power of sport can do for a country such as ours.
"I was fortunate to meet Nelson Mandela, who told Lucas Radebe and me that politicians can talk as much as they want but it's sport that makes a difference to a nation. When they grow up, kids want to be like Chippa Masinga, Lucas Radebe or Makhaya Ntini, and hosting the World Cup will give them the chance to be exposed to new heroes," said Fish.
Masinga said: "Sport brings people together like nothing else. Hosting the World Cup gives us the chance to unite our nation again."