Ricki Herbert, the All White's manager, got his hands on the football World Cup yesterday, but it's not for keeps.
The Fifa trophy, sport's most coveted prize, made a stop in yesterday - the same day Rugby's Webb Ellis Cup went on display in Wellington.
This is the first time
the Fifa cup has been brought to New Zealand as part of an 84-country global tour that wends its way 138,902km to the competition's host nation, South Africa.
More than 500 fans and soccer dignitaries attended the official welcome for the cup at SkyCity. The trophy is made of solid gold, weighs 6.2kg and is the second World Cup made after Brazil were given the first to keep after winning it three times.
Only World Cup winners and heads of states are allowed officially to lift the cup and it was kept in a glass case throughout its Auckland display.
All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen spoke via a video link to the audience from his base in England, saying he was gutted that he could not personally be in Auckland for the tour.
The All Whites will go into camp in Auckland today, with the South Africa finals just 44 days away.
"Leading the All Whites at the World Cup is going to be the greatest honour of my career," Nelsen said.
"But I think [having the cup in New Zealand] puts the icing on the cake for the qualification process. It feels good to know that a lot of people will get happiness out of seeing the greatest prize in world sport."
NZ Football chairman Frank van Hattum, who was part of the 1982 All Whites campaign in Spain, said:
"This is when it all starts to be reality ... we are going to the biggest party in the world. The next two months are about adventure and celebration."
World famous:
* The FIFA World Cup trophy is made of solid, 18-carat gold.
* It is 36.8cm high and weighs 6.2kg.
* The bottom side of the trophy bears the engraved year and name of each winner since 1974.
* The real trophy remains the property of Fifa following the theft of the original, the Jule Rimet Cup.
* Winners are awarded a gold plated, rather than solid gold, replica.
