South Africans covered themselves in glory during the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu said on Monday.

"We have bedazzled ourselves, and the world, with our warmth, efficiency, beauty and our promise. We have covered ourselves in glory," he said in a statement.

"Never before have we experienced this overwhelming joy of unity in purpose.

"Congratulations are in order, and a lot of thinking about sustaining the positive mood and collective self-belief," he said.

The South African Football Association and the Local Organising Committee should be thanked, but most thanks went to Bafana Bafana for being a powerful unifying force.

"There is simply no other team in our country that could dream of having all South Africans - of all languages, races and classes - literally blowing together in one note."

Bafana Bafana should regularly be given the opportunity to fill the new stadiums, playing against credible opposition.

There was no doubt that, were they to play Ghana or Uruguay next month, the stadium would be filled "all of us, together", Tutu said.

Government also needed to be thanked. It was extremely risky to spend the money necessary to host the World Cup.

Many critics said - and would now argue more loudly - that it was insane to spend money on stadiums and transport systems instead of homes and classrooms and clinics.

"But people do not live by bread alone. The value of creating an environment in which we literally felt we could touch the stars is inestimable.

"Our hearts have been filled with joy and our chests swollen with pride. It's as if we are on the cusp of a new, New South Africa," he said.

What South Africa had managed to do had great merit. That which had merit should be acknowledged and sustained.

Merit should be the guiding light, not political or business positioning, he said.

The challenge, now, was to ensure that the infrastructure that had been developed, particularly the transport infrastructure, benefited all South Africans, especially the poor.

"We must roll up our sleeves and build homes and classrooms and clinics like never before.

"We have proved to ourselves we can do anything we set our minds to."

Analysts would debate how many soccer tourists came, and at what direct benefit to the economy.

"The real benefits lie ahead of us, provided we work hard to nurture new relationships and draw numbers of new tourists and investments to our shores."

The Springboks versus All Blacks, at Soccer City in Soweto, was a good place to start, Tutu said.