Hristo Stoichkov (Gallo)

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Johannesburg - Former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Hristo Stoichkov, the former Barcelona star and Bulgarian international, is a great admirer of South Africa – the place that he has called home for the last eight months.

Stoichkov arrived in South Africa less than a year ago to take up the coaching position at Sundowns, but he resigned after failing to lead the club to the league title.

However, the flamboyant Bulgarian, who has rather expectedly enjoyed a love-hate relationship with the South African media, heaps praises on the country that is preparing to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

“I have been staying in South Africa for many months now, and I think it’s a very beautiful country. It’s very nice here, I like it a lot,” said the man who was joint top-scorer at USA 1994 to FIFA.com during an exclusive interview. “I don’t like comparing places because places are different. Barcelona is different from Johannesburg, so is Cape Town. I don't mean that in a bad way, but people must understand that places are different. In those three places, you find different people with different cultures, so of course the experiences will be different.”

“Before coming here, I had read a lot in the newspapers, a lot of negative things. However, what I have experienced is something different to what I read.

“I have been in South Africa for about eight months or so, and I walk around a lot, I go to many places. I have made many friends here. I meet people in the streets and my experience has been good with them. Like any country in the world, there are places you don’t have to go to. And, this applies to Madrid, Barcelona or London,” he added.

Having travelled the country extensively during his tenure as the Sundowns head coach, the former European Player of the Year believes South Africa has the capacity to host a great World Cup finals.

“FIFA’s President [Joseph S.] Blatter fought hard for Africa to be given a chance to host a World Cup, and I think he was right. Now it’s up to South Africans and Africans to repay the confidence he showed to them by hosting a successful World Cup. Having seen the infrastructure here, I’m sure they will not disappoint. South Africa will pass this test.”