Picture that: Van Persie in frame to fulfil dream

THERE is a market stall here at Cape Town waterfront that will take a headshot of any potential customer and superimpose it on to a giant picture of a player lifting the World Cup aloft; a perfect memento of South Africa 2010.

It is exactly the vision Robin van Persie has been carrying in his head, ever since he bought a framed print of Maradona being carried shoulder-high by his Argentina team-mates following the World Cup final in 1986.

That iconic image has been driving the Netherlands and Arsenal striker on in this World Cup and, if all goes well in Sunday’s final, his replica picture should look a whole lot more convincing than those taken 1500km away in Cape Town.