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2010-06-15 cnn

Happy sounds, glorious weather and almost flawless organization.

But did the feel good factor of Germany's World Cup last longer than the summer of 2006?

In economic terms, apparently not.

Germany has a large economy and such an event is a -- a very little, tiny one. It was from the very beginning very unlikely that there would be a big impact on the economy.

So the World Cup was a boost to Germany's world image and to the nation's self-confidence. Patriotism, which, for decades, was a dirty word in post-war German society, showing itself in a million national flags.

I was a little bit afraid when I -- when I saw that, when -- when the flags came up in the first days of the tournament. But, yes, it seems to be that there's -- there are a new generation starts in Germany, in a way.

But beyond the consumption of vast quantities of Germany's favorite drink and a boost for German businesses of around $2.6 billion in food, drink and sales of World Cup memorabilia, that new generation wasn't prepared to change the habits of the old -- cautious consumer spending.

So there was no negative impact. And it was just fun. And it was a great time this summer and people were happy and so it -- it did not last very long, but it was, for some weeks, a lot of fun and that's enough.

Wagner says the two million visitors to Germany's World Cup kept non-football tourists away. One lesson from the German economists to South Africa this time around -- sit back and enjoy it, because the effects may be short lived.

Diana Magnay, cnn, Berlin.