Relive the excitement and drama of the FIFA 2010 World Cup

When Iker Casillas lifted the World Cup on June 11, it ended a World Cup of firsts.

The first World Cup hosted in Africa, the first time Spain had lifted the famous trophy after decades of underachieving, and the first time a European nation has won the game’s highest honour outside of their home continent.

It brought to a close one of the most exciting and unpredictable tournaments in recent memory which, despite being slow to get going, eventually turned into an unmissable spectacle.

But there were many that doubted this tournament would take place safely, or even in South Africa. Some even suggested the tournament would be moved to another continent entirely, with 2006 hosts Germany on standby.

In the months and years leading up to the South African World Cup there were concerns and worries about every aspect of the tournament from politicians to players to national football associations. Is South Africa safe for fans? Is it safe for players? Will the stadiums even be built in time? There were even serious worries that Al-Qaeda might attempt a terrorist attack, particularly in the England versus USA group match.

The safety concerns were highlighted in January, when the Togolese national team’s bus was attacked by gunmen in the Angolan province of Cabinda en route to the 2010 African Cup of Nations. Three people lost their lives and a further nine were injured.

Despite the attack coming in an area of Angola where football associations were warned not to travel and occurring some 1,500 km away from South Africa, many worried that this sort of attack could happen at the World Cup to any of the 32 nations taking part—especially in a country such as South Africa whose crime rates were bandied around by every news outlet, exacerbating concerns further.

There was even talk of moving the World Cup. What would happen if the stadiums aren’t ready? Which country would receive the tournament? What would this mean for the future of African football?

The reality of the World Cup could not have been much further from these fears.

The tournament, its organisation, safety, control and implementation have been universally praised. It was the third highest ever attended World Cup with more than 3.18 million fans exuberantly descending on stadiums, vuvuzelas in hand. Only the 1994 World Cup in USA and the 2006 tournament in Germany achieved a higher attendance.

Now that The World Cup bandwagon is packed up and is heading for Brazil for the 2014 competition, it is vitally important that the legacy left by FIFA’s showpiece benefits the whole of South Africa. The football and the stories around this year’s World Cup have inspired South Africans, and every visitor to the country cannot help but feel invigorated by the experience.

And what stories there were.

The hosts, South Africa, opened the tournament versus Mexico, under a wave of vuvuzelas. And as the crowd noise continued unrelentingly throughout the match, the players seemed inspired by their support and pushed forward to try and find the opening goal of the World Cup.

Siphiwe Tshabalala was the man who sweetly struck the ball into the net to send the whole country into ecstasy.

Sadly, it wouldn’t last—not only in this game, but in the whole tournament for our most gracious and welcoming hosts.

Mexico equalised with a little more than ten minutes remaining.

This was followed by a crushing defeat at the hands of Uruguay, who dominated South Africa to win 3-0, putting South Africa on the brink of being the only host country ever to exit the tournament at the first stage.

And sadly, that most unenviable of honour was claimed by Bofana Bofana. It was their conquerors Uruguay and Mexico who emerged from Group A.

But South Africa’s World Cup ended on a high—a victory over former World Champions and 2006 runners-up France.

The French had a nightmare World Cup. From day one, they were dogged by rumours of infighting, squad unrest and a lack of confidence in manager Raymond Domenech—who had confirmed that he would be leaving his post following the tournament.

France drew their opening game with Uruguay, before losing to Mexico. This led to all-out mutiny. Firstly, star striker Nicolas Anelka was sent home from the competition for swearing at the manager and this was followed by the players going on a one day strike and a very explosive row in front of the world’s media between the captain Patrice Evra and the team’s fitness coach.

The French camp was in utter chaos. And their shambolic tournament, ended at the hands of South Africa. Both teams had to win, and have a variety of ifs and buts in the Uruguay versus Mexico match go in their favour, if they were to have any hope of progressing.

In the end it was South Africa who won the battle, but lost the war. The hosts outplayed and dominated their European opponents who looked like they just wanted to be home. The vuvuzelas cacophony climaxed as South Africa recorded a 2-1 over Les Bleus.

However, it wasn’t enough. South Africa finished third in their group, ahead of a terrible French team.

The hosts were out.

And the supporters had to find another country to support. Perhaps the other African teams would go on to make an impact on their own continent?

That very same evening, Nigeria became the second African country to leave early. Their draw with Korea Republic wasn’t enough with the much-fancied Argentina and the Koreans progressing to the last 16.

The next day, Algeria were given the chance to make an impact. Having secured a 0-0 drew with England, who were almost as disappointing as the French, Algeria were hoping to get a victory in their last game versus the United States of America.

Sadly, a last-gasp Landon Donovan goal meant Algeria left the tournament bottom of the group, with no goals scored, and only a draw with England to show for their South African experience.

Three groups finished. Three African teams out. Perhaps Group D and Ghana would get the rainbow nation dancing again?

Ghana’s opening game saw them defeat Serbia, while Germany destroyed Australia 4-0. Ghana, inspired by Asamoah Gyan, Kevin Prince Boateng and Anthony Anna, drew with Australia in their next match meaning that even a defeat to Germany could see them progress.

And this is exactly what happened. Ghana battled well against Germany but lost 1-0. However, thanks to Australia beating Serbia, Ghana progressed to the second round of the World Cup—with the support of the whole continent behind them.

Cameroon were the next African team to play their final group game. However, following defeats to Japan and Denmark, they were already booked on the next flight out of the host nation. Despite having superstar striker Samuel Eto’o spearheading their attack, the Indomitable Lions came up short and went home with even a single roar.

The final three groups saw the crumbling of more former World Champions. In fact, it saw the crumbling of THE World Champions. Italy, winners in Germany in 2006, crashed out of their group.

Even minnows New Zealand, whose only previous World Cup appearance in 1982 saw them defeated in all three of their games, finished ahead of the reigning World Cup holders.

The Kiwis drew 1-1 with Italy and were the only team, from all 32 in South Africa, to not lose a single game in tournament, having drawn all three matches.

It wasn’t enough to progress however, as Slovakia and Paraguay came through from Group F. Group G featured another World Cup minnow, the often mocked and derided team from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea—better known as North Korea.

Coming into the tournament, the team from that most secretive and sometimes feared nation was something of a joke to the world’s media. Fake North Korean propaganda news reels were produced by broadcasters in England following their very respectable 2-1 to the world’s most successful country, Brazil, proclaiming a “glorious Korean victory”.

Unfortunately for North Korea, the fake news stories never became a reality, as they left the competition, losing every game, including a 7-0 rout at the hands of Portugal.

And so it was between the Portuguese, Brazil and Africa’s final team Côte d’Ivoire.

The team, known more commonly as Ivory Coast, had to beat Korea in their final game and hope Brazil destroyed Portugal to have any chance of advancing.

The Ivoirians had one of Africa’s greatest players, Didier Drogba, at their disposal and indeed comfortably beat North Korea 3-0.

However, it wasn’t enough, as Brazil and Portugal played out a dour 0-0 draw.

The Ivory Coast were eliminated.

Ghana were now the only representative from Africa left in the tournament– and were determined to make the continent proud.

Ghana had the hopes of the whole of Africa on their shoulders. Every other nation from the host continent was already home and so it was up to The Black Stars to shine at the World Cup.

Ghana went into the second round to face the USA. Newspapers across the continent blared out headlines such as “Africa United” and “Hopes of a Continent”.

If the Black Stars were under pressure before the tournament, it would be nothing compared to now when they were carrying the expectations of all of Africa in the world’s greatest show. And what a tense experience is was.

Ghana led the USA going into half time following a very early Boateng goal. For nearly an hour, Ghana were heading into the last eight of the World Cup.

Before Landon Donovan, the superstar of the American soccer team, scored a penalty. The match went to extra time.

And it was in extra time that once again Africa burst into life. Yet another Asamoah Gyan goal gave Ghana the lead once again. A lead they would not lose.

The Black Stars became only the third ever African team to make it into the quarter finals of a World Cup and they were determined to become the first ever to make the semi finals.

Their reward for making the last eight was to face Uruguay, a strong South American team, who have won the World Cup twice before, in 1930 and 1950.

Ghana again took the lead, before Diego Forlan, later voted Player of the Tournament levelled the game with an unstoppable free kick. Extra time, again, for Ghana.

As the seconds turned into minutes, the clock read 29 minutes of the 30 played in extra time. A goal now would send one team through to the final four, and one team home heartbroken.

Ghana, and seemingly the whole of Africa, pressed and pushed toward the Uruguayan goal. A corner resulted in the ball bouncing around like a pinball before a Ghana head flicked the ball goal-wards. It was certain that the net would bulge. But it didn’t.

Luis Suarez, the Uruguay striker, had leapt to push the ball off the line deliberately with his hands. An instinctive act? Or one of pure cheating?

Suarez was sent off in tears and could only watch as Gyan, such a hero at the World Cup, stepped up to take the penalty, in the 33rd minute of extra time. Score and Ghana become the first ever African team to reach the semi-final. Miss, and a penalty shootout would settle the tie.

A nation, and indeed a continent, held its breath as Gyan stepped up.

And smashed his shot into the crossbar, sending the ball high over the goal.

The final whistle blew. And Gyan broke down. The crowd, up to now a wall of noise, were in stunned silence, while Suarez jumped and cheered as though his team had won the whole tournament.

Gyan stepped up to take Ghana’s first penalty of the shootout. Showing tremendous courage and scoring this time around.

But it wasn’t enough. Uruguay won the penalty shootout. Ghana, the last African team, went out in one of the most dramatic exits in this, or any, World Cup.

Suarez would go on to be vilified and condemned as a cheat, something not helped by his apparent lack of remorse or guilt for what he had done.

At the end of the match, Gyan burst into tears. If his spot kick in extra time had been just a few inches lower, his team would be one game away from the World Cup final.

It wasn’t to be, and Africa, as that is what Ghana came to represent, were out.

And the drama continued.

Brazil, always among the favourites were sent home by the Netherlands, who would go on to finish runners-up.

Germany, whose highly-fancied young team had destroyed England and Argentina, scoring four goals in each game in the previous rounds, went out to Spain in the semi-finals.

The final, played out in Johannesburg’s Soccer City, where the tournament had started one month previously, was a tense affair which ended with an extra time winner from Spain’s Andreas Iniesta versus the Netherlands – Uruguay’s semi final victors.

Spain had won. And the World Cup was over. But where did this leave South Africa? They had undoubtedly succeeded where so many had warned they would fail.

FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke even felt confident enough to declare that South Africa would now be “Plan B” for all future tournaments.

However, what of the stadiums located in poor areas such as the one Soweto? The chances of it being filled regularly are slim, meaning that South Africa could be left with massive, unused stadiums unless the nation’s rugby teams move in.

The legacy the World Cup leaves is significant. Improvements were made to transport, security, infrastructure and facilities.

The economic boost the country received from the World Cup is said to be roughly 38 billion Rand and around 130,000 jobs were created, albeit many of those temporary.

South Africa may well want to host many more major events, and this includes a confirmation of their intention to host the 2020 Olympics.

The spotlight will remain on this nation for many, many months after Casillas lifted the trophy.

The tournament helped to unite South Africa, and indeed Africa in general. The fans were often in a state of near-hysteria with the vuvuzelas blasting all the way to the final, final whistle.

South Africa promised to deliver a successful World Cup and they kept their promise. The tournament will have no doubt changed the perceptions of South Africa and the continent as a whole. It is now seen as a country that can deliver when required. And as Nelson Mandela waved to the fans on that final day, it not only brought to a close the World Cup 2010 but it marked the arrival of South Africa on the world stage, finally.

By Tim Ward

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