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Johannesburg – South Africa deserved to pat itself on the back for the way it was hosting the soccer World Cup and should find ways of sustaining the good will it had generated, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said on Monday.

"Over the past few weeks South Africa has experienced an extraordinary revival of its national spirit," Tutu said in a statement.

"We were not only ready to host the World Cup, as far as infrastructure was concerned, but also in terms of our self-belief and self-esteem as a nation.

"We are hosting the greatest World Cup in history, and we are doing it in style."

He said that although Bafana Bafana would have to play the "game of their lives" when they met France in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, if they left the tournament, they could soon be joined by the top-ranked nations of England, France, Italy and Germany, and higher-ranked African teams.

"I'm predicting a three or four-nil victory. Let's get behind Bafana tomorrow. Win or lose, in many respects we have already won the World Cup."

The country had developed a "fantastic infrastructure" for the games, and even though this was cold comfort for the hungry and homeless, Tutu said "man doth not live by bread alone", a quote from Deuteronomy in the Bible.

Unique spirit

Since the Blue Bulls' rugby game there, Soweto had been abuzz with national and international visitors, and a unique spirit on the streets.

"We are deserving of more than a pat on the back. We have done incredibly well.

"According to media reports, more than 400 000 visitors have already arrived, with a second wave to come.

"The international media is awash with positivism about us. They really do see us as the beautiful butterfly that we have become."

Tutu felt it important to stimulate national dialogue on how to sustain the extraordinary spirit and goodwill generated and make the World Cup "not an end, but a new beginning".

"Imagine if we could build 50 000 World Cup legacy homes across our country, or 5 000 new sports fields, or 500 schools or 50 clinics," he said.