By: Agencies
Date: 2010-07-12
Place: Johannesburg
Infamous Spanish prankster "Jimmy Jump" tried to grab the World Cup trophy moments before the Spain and Holland players were due to walk out at Soccer City for the tournament final.
The fan ran in from a corner of the stadium and raced across the field toward the halfway line, where the trophy had been placed on a pedestal for the players to parade past.
Oh no you don't! Jaume Marquet Cot tried to get his hands on the trophy just before the finals kicked off
He was tackled just before he could get his hands on the trophy and was carried away by seven security guards, taken up the tunnel and past the waiting players.
The unidentified man, wearing a red woolen hat and black T-shirt saying Against Racism, is believed to be the notorious Spanish pitch invader Jimmy Jump, who has a history of hijacking major events.
In May, Jump, who's real name is Jaume Marquet Cot, invaded the stage during Spain's performance at the Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo.
Italy defender Fabio Cannavaro, who last lifted the World Cup trophy as winning captain when his team won the title in Berlin four years ago, had carried the trophy onto the field in its Louis Vuitton case. He then took it out of the case and placed it on the stand facing the many dignitaries in attendance.
After Cannavaro left the field, the trophy stayed alone on the grass awaiting the arrival of the two teams. It was eventually taken off after the Dutch and Spanish national anthems were played.
In the semi-finals, an Italian fan carrying a vuvuzela ran onto the field during Spain's win over Germany to protest the exclusion of a player from Italy's squad. He entered the field near Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's net and sprinted almost to midfield before he was caught by security.
