Ian Jindela

On the photo: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 08: Orlando Silva, Romario, Bebeto, Ricardo Teixeira, Luis Inacio Lula da SIlva, Cafu, Carlos Alberto Parreira, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and Carlos Alberto Torres.
Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images

Each FIFA World Cup tournament takes on from its specific identity; from the day it starts the host country creates a unified tournament emblem. World Cup 2014 takes over from Africa to Brazil. The 2014 emblem created by Brazilian agency Africa titled Inspiration will still hold memories from the 2010 World Cup. The design stems from an iconic photograph of three victorious hands together raising the world’s most famous trophy. As well as depicting the humanitarian notion of hands interlinking, the portrayal of the hands is also symbolic of the yellow and green of Brazil warmly welcoming the world to their country.

In South Africa, the official Emblem for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ was unveiled in the presence of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Ricardo Teixeira, President of the Brazil 2014 Organising Committee and FIFA Executive Committee Member, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter as well as former Selecao players, Cafu, Carlos Alberto Torres, Romario and 1994 FIFA World Cup winning coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. Prior to the emblem unveiling, 500 guests, including international media, were treated to a small taste of what they can expect from the first FIFA World Cup™ in Brazil since 1950. Brazilian music groups Barbatuques and Bossa Cuca Nova and Grammy award-winning singer Vanessa da Mata appeared on stage in an hour-long show hosted by the Brazilian celebrity couple Fernanda Lima and Rodrigo Hilbert. In July 2011 Brazil will conduct the preliminary draw, meanwhile Sunday 11July 2010 South Africa will finally handover to Brazil 2014.

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter congratulated South Africa for hosting a successful World class tournament in Africa. The Republic of South Africa- president Jacob Zuma graciously thanked the Brazilian president for his state visit in South Africa. “We would like to see continued co-operation in sport development, as Brazil will be hosting two major sports events, the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. We also stand ready to share lessons gained during the 2010 FIFA World Cup with Brazil in preparation for 2014, to ensure a vibrant Latin American World Cup.” concluded Jacob Zuma.