MEDIA CORNER

In less than two weeks from now the best freestyle footballers in the world will meet in South Africa for the ultimate showdown at the Red Bull Street Style World Final 2010, where athletes from 59 countries will battle it out head-to-head for the title Red Bull Street Style World Champion 2010. On hand to judge the freestylers’ skills will be three absolute stars of the Beautiful Game, who will act as Final Judges on 28 April to crown the 2010 champion.

Following the huge success of the first Red Bull Street Style World Final in Sao Paulo (BRA) in 2008, hordes of talented freestylers registered to take part in National Qualifying Tournaments taking place in 59 countries across the globe. From Mexico to Morocco, Finland to France and Nigeria to New Zealand over 5,000 ballers battled it out according to the rules “3 minutes, 2 players, 1 ball” for a chance to qualify for the World Final scheduled to take place from 26-28 April 2010 in the over 300-year-old Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town (RSA).

In the hallowed halls of the castle there will be some very special judges in residence to cast a beady eye over the players’ skills and elect a worthy Red Bull Street Style World Champion 2010. As in 2008, Edgar Davids (NED) will use his intimate knowledge of all things freestyle to lead the official judging panel at the World Final in his capacity as Head Judge. The Dutchman took to the field for top European clubs during his glittering career, including Ajax Amsterdam, Inter Milan, FC Barcelona, Juventus and AC Milan, with whom he won the UEFA Champions League in 1995. As a dogged midfield general with a fine touch, Davids also completed 74 games for the Dutch national team and competed in the 1998 World Cup in France as well as in the European Football Championships in 1996, 2000 und 2004.

Sitting next to Davids will be another superstar of the modern game. Liberia’s George Weah is one of the most exceptional footballing talents of modern times and considered by many experts to be one of the finest players to have taken the field in the last 20 years. Weah’s long career in Europe featured spells at AS Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Chelsea FC and Olympique Marseille, with the attacking midfielder feared by opposing players for his mazy dribbles and exceptional touch. He also completed 60 games for the Liberian national team, scoring 20 goals in the process. In 1995 Weah became the first African ever to be crowned World Footballer of the Year, also being crowned European Footballer of the Year and African Footballer of the Year in the same season. Three years later he was elected African Footballer of the Century. Since 2004 Weah has also been on the list of the greatest 125 living footballers, together with greats of the game such including Pelé and Johann Cruyff.

The third and final member of the star-studded judging panel at the Red Bull Street Style World Final 2010 is a freestyle football legend in his native South Africa. Khris Njokwana’s skills have already earned him a place among the international freestyle elite and even the chance to impress former South African president Thabo Mbeki with his silky skills. As the World Final 2010 comes to Njokwana’s home town of Cape Town, the South African will have a chance to cast his expert eye over the best freestylers from across the planet.

Red Bull Street Style sees freestyle footballers go head-to-head according to the rules "3 minutes, 2 players, 1 ball", with possession being switched between the competitors after a maximum of 20 seconds. As in normal football, everything goes apart from the use of hands or arms. Judges on a three-man panel rate the athletes’ performances according to the criteria (ball and body) control, creativity and style in combination with the music.

• Final Judges on World Final in South Africa (PDF, 12 KB)