Jordaan has accomplished his World Cup mission

The affable 52-year-old has overcome the disappointment of losing the 2006 tournament to Germany to mastermind a successful bid for 2010.

"Our hearts were broken, but we did continue," Jordaan said of the 2006 heartbreak.

After the failed attempt then, Jordaan admitted to a lack of experience, especially in canvassing for votes.

at that stage, I will be in the midst of the angels Danny Jordaan

But he is now on first name terms with the likes of Zico from Brazil, Germany's Franz Beckenbauer and Michel Platini from France.

He has also learnt to deal with the intrigues of international football, especially at global meetings.

A native of Port Elizabeth on the southeast coast of South Africa, Jordaan was heavily involved in the struggle against the white regime.

In the 1970s, he joined the South African Students' Organisation - the most important body to defend the rights of black students.

The movement was founded by Steve Biko, who was killed while in police detention in September, 1977.

Shortly afterwards, he got involved in sport, becoming an activist in various organisations fighting to break down racial barriers.

Later, he was involved in negotiations for South Africa's reintegration into world football.

Jordaan was elected to parliament in 1994 when the country held its first multi-racial elections to formally end apartheid.

But he resigned three years later to pursue a unique, almost obsessive quest to make South Africa the first country in Africa to host the World Cup.

Interviewed a few days before the announcement in Zurich, he was asked whether he would launch yet another bid in case South Africa's second attempt failed, Jordaan replied partly seriously and partly in jest.