The Sunday News
WHILE most Zimbabweans have their eyes glued to their television screens for the ongoing 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, 15 locals did have a live experience of the football fiesta courtesy of Coca-Cola, the official sponsors of the tournament. The Coca-Cola system in Zimbabwe, comprising Coca-Cola Central Africa and its bottling partners Delta Beverages, Mutare Bottling Company and Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited travelled to Rio de Janeiro from 14 to 20 June to watch the exciting 2014 FIFA World Cup live.
The all-expense paid trip to Brazil was extended to 15 people, including seven customers from OK Zimbabwe, Spar, TM Supermarkets and Innscor.
According to Nomathemba Halimana, the Coca-Cola Zimbabwe senior operations marketing manager, the selection criteria was based on a customer promotion which ran from August 2013 to March 2014, from which the highest-selling branch managers were selected to fly to Brazil to partake in the most prestigious football tournament in the world.
The delegation from Zimbabwe watched two matches namely Argentina-Bosnia Herzegovina clash on 15 June and the match between already booted out world champions Spain when they took on Chile on 18 June, which were both played at the Stadium Maracana. The group also had the opportunity to watch the Ghana versus USA match at the Copacabana Beach Fan Park on 16 June.
While in Brazil, the Zimbabweans did not limit their time in the City of Gods to football, they also had the opportunity to visit key heritage sites in Brazil including Christ the Redeemer Statue (Cristo Redentor) and the summit of Corcovado Mountain, which was recently named one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World”. In addition to this they managed to squeeze in a cable car tour of Sugar Loaf Mountain.
“It was absolutely incredible to mingle with people from different parts of the world, to be part of the furore of the fans and the intensity of the games being played at such an elevated level. The Coca-Cola theme for 2014 FWC “It’s My Cup, It’s Your Cup, It’s Our Cup, It’s the World’s Cup”, was evident across the whole of Rio de Janeiro as football aficionados united for the love of the beautiful game,’’ said Halimana.
Innscor southern region managing director Warren Meares described the journey to Brazil as that of a lifetime. Meares said what made the visit to Brazil even more amazing was that they were staying at the same hotel with the Spanish team where he got to meet with some of the team members.
“It was a trip of a lifetime, we watched the Spain-Chile match where I was gunning for Chile, who would have thought they were going to win. The live atmosphere was electrifying, I watched Lionel Messi live, it was just an absolute thriller to see that guy in action. We stayed at the same hotel with the Spanish team, even after they had lost they were still champions in my eyes. It was such an amazing experience, thanks to Coca-Cola,’’ said Meares.
A founder member of Chicken Inn Football Club, the team he supports locally, Meares managed to meet Spanish players, namely Diego Costa, Xavi Hernandez, Jordi Alba and Fernando Torres.
On the visit to the Copacabana Beach, he said he has never seen anything like that which confirmed that Brazil is a soccer nation.
The Coca-Cola Company is one of the longest-standing corporate partners of FIFA, with a formal association since 1974 and an official sponsorship of FIFA World Cup that began in 1978. Coca-Cola has had stadium advertising at every FIFA World Cup since 1950.
