“I hold the University of Pretoria and hpc in the highest regard since they responded like the winners they are to every request made by the Argentine Football Association. We are very fortunate that our national team will be based in a friendly, hospitable, comfortable, well equipped, safe and secure environment during the tournament.”

Mr Sersale di Cerisano admires the passion and patience with which Mr Kobus van der Walt, TuksSport Director and Mr Toby Sutcliffe, CEO of the hpc and have gone about their business in getting the Sport Campus and hpc custom ready for Argentina’s visit.

“Once or team arrives in Pretoria, they will start winning for sure since they will be surrounded by champions in their own right. I am not worried in the slightest that we struggled to qualify for participation in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Tournament, since that is nothing new to us as a nation. It would not be wrong to say that we live in a permanent state of crisis,” joked the ambassador.

Mr Sersale di Cerisano predicts that Barcelona striker Lionel Messi will be Argentina’s biggest asset as this 22 year old, who earns an approximate €8,400,000 per annum (R814 000 000), is in a class of his own.

His prediction is in accordance with the findings of a recent opinion poll amongst soccer writers from all over the globe. 91 percent of them predicted that Messi will be the top goal scorer at the 2010 FIFA World Cup Tournament.

Argentina will be arriving at their new home during the last week of May.