Retired football player Mark Anthony Fish, performing as the 2010 FIFA World Cup Ambassador, unveiled a 100-day countdown billboard to the world's soccer feast?in Hong Kong?on Wednesday, to promote the event to be held on his home soil.

Fish, a former leading defender of South Africa's national team, started a four-day visit in Hong Kong as a promotion for the upcoming World Cup.

When asked of the possible trophy winner, the ambassador said he would bet on Spain.

Fish guessed one of the big teams would win such as Germany and Brazil, and his "favorite" was Spain, the current top-ranked team in the FIFA world rankings.

The 36-year-old Fish, born in Cape Town, made his international debut for South Africa in 1993 at the age of 19. He played a crucial part in South Africa's first-ever victory in the African Cup of Nations in 1996. He was also part of the South African squad that played at the nation's first FIFA World Cup in France, 1998. In total, he won 62 caps for the national team and scored twice.

At club level, he had played for Italy's Lazio and English clubs Bolton Wanderers, Charlton Athletic and Ipswich Town. A severe cruciate ligament injury finally forced him to retire in 2006.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup, to be held from June 11 to July 11, is the first time that the tournament moves to Africa.