Look back at any footage from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and you could be forgiven for thinking a swarm of bees was descending on the stadium. Such was the incessant hum of the vuvuzelas, the plastic horns wielded by football supporters in the rainbow nation.
At the time, many football fans found the noise unbearable, but the sound has come to be an iconic symbol for the 2010 World Cup. It was a tournament that ensured the World Cup had been brought to every continent except Antarctica, and there haven’t been many where the host nation has lent such personality to the competition.
As the 2022 World Cup approaches, and fans have a bet on World Cup markets, it’s a good time to take a trip down memory lane and look at why the World Cup in South Africa was so special.
History made
For a couple of decades, FIFA had been seeking to take the World Cup to more unique destinations across the world. The 1994 tournament in the USA was a roaring success, as was the 2002 World Cup split between Japan and South Korea. Africa was the only continent left unexplored, but that would soon change with the awarding of the 2010 tournament to South Africa.
On the pitch, the hosts couldn’t quite produce the goods to reach the knockout stage, despite an impressive win against France in their final group game. That said, Siphiwe Tshabalala’s opening goal of the competition against Mexico will live long in the memory, both for the stunning nature of the strike and for Peter Drury’s iconic commentary: “Goal Bafana Bafana! A goal for South Africa. A goal for all Africa.”
Ghana’s memorable run
Whilst South Africa could not escape the group stages, Ghana would go on to reach the quarter-finals, and came so close to making history by becoming the first African team to reach the last four. In the end, a deliberate handball by Uruguay’s Luis Suarez cost them, with Asamoah Gyan missing the subsequent spot-kick before Uruguay went on to win in a penalty shootout.
That could not take away from Ghana’s impressive form throughout the tournament. They defeated Serbia and Australia in the group stage to reach the last 16, where an extra-time triumph over the USA set up the fateful tie against Uruguay.
While Ghana’s World Cup ended in heartbreak, they did their continent proud with a number of stunning performances.
Spain’s dominance
Of course, the 2010 World Cup was also memorable for the fact that Spain claimed their maiden title. In a period of dominance for the Spanish national team, Vicente Del Bosque’s team produced a masterclass in passing football to grind opponents down and claim the title.
All of their knockout games ended in 1-0 victories, including the final against the Netherlands, proof of the control Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and co. exerted on their opponents.
Spain had won the European Championships in 2008, and would do so again in 2012, ensuring an unprecedented run of three successive major international titles. That team will live long in the memory, as will the 2010 World Cup, where the hum of the vuvuzela could not detract from the history unfolding on the southern tip of the African continent.
