His death on Thursday night (South Africa time) at age 95 followed a long illness and was cause for mourning across the world.
It was through sport that Mandela sought to unite his divided country. A book entitled Playing The Enemy was made into the motion picture Invictus, showing how rugby could bring black and white people together in national purpose.
On June 24, 1995, the man once jailed as an enemy of the state strode onto the field at the Rugby World Cup final, bringing the overwhelmingly white crowd of more than 60,000 to its feet.
Onlookers chanted "Nelson! Nelson! Nelson!" as Mandela, by that time president of South Africa, congratulated the victorious home team in a moment that symbolised racial reconciliation.
Mandela's decision to wear the Springbok emblem, the symbol once hated by black people, conveyed the message that rugby, for so long shunned by that population, was now for all South Africans.
"Up to now rugby has been the application of apartheid in the sports field. But now things are changing," Mandela declared.
"We must use sport for the purpose of nation-building and promoting all the ideas which we think will lead to peace and stability in the country."
The moment was captured in the 2009 film directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Morgan Freeman as Mandela and Matt Damon as team captain François Pienaar.
A boxer in his youth, Mandela maintained his physical fitness by running in place during his 27-year incarceration. A college-educated lawyer, he was arrested many times before the 1962 case that led to his long prison term.
Mandela appeared at Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg as South Africa bid farewell to the 2010 soccer World Cup.
At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Mandela attended and supported the participation of the country's first black athlete in the Games, Abram Thwala.
Mandela visited the boxing venue in the Barcelona suburb of Badalona, the Pavello Club Joventut.
After Thwala lost a 6-0 decision in his opening bout, Mandela spoke with a group of reporters including SN's Mike DeCourcy, about his delight in seeing South Africa at the Olympics.
"Yes, he was a fighter," Mandela said. "But I don't think he used his right hand as well as he should have."
1995. South African President Nelson Mandela shakes hands with South African national rugby team member Tiaan Straus as his teammates look on before the first match of the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Photo by GARY BERNARD/AFP/Getty Images
1995. South African President Nelson Mandela shakes hands with South African team members before the start of the rugby World Cup final at Ellis Park. PHILIP LITTLETON/AFP/Getty Images
1995. Nelson Mandela the South African President waves to his crowd as his country wins the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Photo by David Rogers/ALLSPORT
1995. The crowd cheers the South African Springbok rugby team during a victory parade through Johannesburg. Photo by WALTER DHLADHLA/AFP/Getty Images
1996. South Africa president Nelson Mandela salutes the crowd before the opening game of the African Cup of Nations in Johanassberg. Photo by Gary M. Prior/ALLSPORT
1996. The captain of the winners of the African Cup of Nations Final Neil Tovey of South Africa holds the cup aloft after President Mandela presented it to him. South Africa won 2-0. Photo by Mark Thompson/ALLSPORT
1997. South African President Nelson Mandela receives a cricket bat from the South African Cricket captain, Hansie Cronje, during the lunch break on the third day of the Second Test between South Africa and India at Newlands. Photo Getty Images
2004. Nelson Mandela holds the Jules Rimet World cup beside Capetown Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images
2005. Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa receives the applause of the crowd prior to the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate international rugby match between South Africa and Australia at Ellis Park. Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images
Nelson Mandela poses with South Africa Rugby Union captain John Smit and the Webb-Ellis cup during the Springboks visit to Nelson Mandela at his residence. Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images/Getty Images