A pitch intruder covers the World Cup trophy with a cap before being detained by security officers before the 2010 World Cup final soccer match between Netherlands and Spain at Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg July 11, 2010. [Agencies]

JOHANNESBURG - A man wearing an anti-racism T-shirt ran on to the pitch minutes before the start of the World Cup final on Sunday and came very close to grabbing the trophy exhibited on the pitch.

Wearing a red hat and a T-shirt that read "Jimmy Jump against racism" the man managed to slip through tight security and raced on to the pitch in front of close to 90,000 spectators at the Soccer City stadium.

Several security men and stewards managed to wrestle him to the ground as he was about to snatch the trophy, positioned on a stand just inside the touchline.

He was carried away by seven security men as the teams of Netherlands and Spain were about to walk on to the pitch for the national anthems and the start of the final.

Italy defender Fabio Cannavaro, who last lifted the World Cup trophy as winning captain when his team won the title in Berlin four years ago, had carried the trophy onto the field in its Louis Vuitton case. He then took it out of the case and placed it on the stand facing the many dignitaries in attendance.

After Cannavaro left the field, the trophy stayed alone on the grass awaiting the arrival of the two teams. It was eventually taken off after the Dutch and Spanish national anthems were played.

In the semifinals, an Italian fan carrying a vuvuzela ran onto the field during Spain's win over Germany on Wednesday to protest the exclusion of a player from Italy's squad.

The fan entered the field near Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's net and sprinted almost to midfield before he was caught by security.

Jimmy Jump is the nickname of a man who has run on to the pitch during several major soccer matches including the Euro 2004 final between Greece and Portugal.