2010 FIFA World Cup SOUTH AFRICA ™ Information
Date: 11 June 2010 – 11 July 2010
Host country: SOUTH AFRICA
Champions: Spain (1st title)
Runners-up: Netherlands
Third place: Germany
Fourth place: Uruguay
Fair play award: Spain
Teams: 32 (from 6 confederations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played: 64
Goals scored: 145 (2.27 per match)
Attendance: 3,178,856 (49,670 per match)
Top scorer(s) : Uruguay Diego Forlán
Germany : Thomas Müller
Netherlands: Wesley Sneijder
Spain: David Villa
The best player was Uruguay, Diego Forlan. The best young player was a player from Germany, Thomas Müller.
The Best goalkeeper in Spain, Iker Casillas.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa was the 19th edition of the FIFA World Cup. It began on June 11 and ended on July 11, the first time this tournament was held in Africa and for the fifth time in the southern hemisphere.
204 of FIFA’s 208 member national associations registered to participate in the qualifying process, which took place between mid-2007 and the end of 2009, to determine the 32 teams participating in the final phase of the tournament, surpassing the previous tournament’s record of 197 participants.
The championship consisted of two phases: in the first, eight groups of four teams each were formed, with the two best teams from each group advancing to the next round. The sixteen qualified teams then faced each other in knockout matches to reach the two teams that played in the final at Johannesburg’s Soccer City stadium.
Prior to the tournament, South Africa invested millions of dollars to be in a position to host one of the most important sporting events on the planet. Nearly 2 million tickets were put on sale to attend the 64 matches, to be played in 10 stad
The 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa was the 19th edition of the FIFA World Cup. It began on June 11 and ended on July 11, the first time this tournament was held in Africa and for the fifth time in the southern hemisphere.
204 of FIFA’s 208 member national associations registered to participate in the qualifying process, which took place between mid-2007 and the end of 2009, to determine the 32 teams participating in the final phase of the tournament, surpassing the previous tournament’s record of 197 participants.
The championship consisted of two phases: in the first, eight groups of four teams each were formed, with the two best teams from each group advancing to the next round. The sixteen qualified teams then faced each other in knockout matches to reach the two teams that played in the final at Johannesburg’s Soccer City stadium.
Prior to the tournament, South Africa invested millions of dollars to be in a position to host one of the most important sporting events on the planet. Nearly 2 million tickets were put on sale to attend the 64 matches, to be played in 10 stadiums located throughout the country, half of which were new. In preparation for the event, the host country had previously organized the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 in the cities of Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Rustenburg.
Several teams returned to this World Cup after many years of absence: North Korea, which had not participated since 1966, Honduras and New Zealand since 1982, Algeria since 1986, and Greece since 1994. These teams were joined by Slovakia and Serbia, although teams from the latter two nations had participated in previous World Cups, but represented now disintegrated countries: Czechoslovakia in the case of the former, and Yugoslavia and later Serbia and Montenegro in the case of the latter.
During the first round, 101 goals were scored, the lowest number of goals scored during the group stage since there have been thirty-two participants. The Conmebol teams became the main dominators of that phase, with all five teams advancing to the second round, with only one defeat in fifteen matches played. On the other hand, Europe and Africa were disappointed: six of the thirteen European teams and only one of the six African teams advanced to the next phase. Among those eliminated were the two finalists from the previous World Cup, Italy and France, as well as South Africa, which became the first host team in history to fail to advance to the second stage.
In the second round, South America continued its streak by qualifying one team from each of the groups, but only Uruguay survived in the quarterfinals and qualified for the semifinals along with three Europeans: Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands. Spain thus achieved its first appearance in the semifinals, bearing in mind that in 1950, despite finishing in fourth place, the last round consisted of a group stage. Finally, although five of the top ten finishers belonged to the South American Confederation, the three podium finishers were teams from the Union of European Associations.
The entire tournament was marked by significant refereeing errors that influenced the course of several matches, including the final itself.
After the consecration of Spain, this World Cup was the first one played outside Europe in which a European team was proclaimed champion, and it was also the first time since 1998 that a team without previous World Cups won, as well as the first time since 1978 that two teams without World Cups faced each other in the final, and the first time since 1962 that Europe and South America did not alternate the World Cup champion, since in the previous edition the champion was also European (Italy).
We will never forget it. Some people will be able to die peacefully after this. Spain is the world champion in the most dramatic final in living memory. Iniesta’s goal, in the second half of extra time, did justice to an unforgettable team and consecrates a player who is the paradigm of humility, the farthest thing from a soccer star but with the virtues of a phenomenon. We still don’t know where the pale Iniesta got those tenths of a second to keep his cool, lower his heart rate and finish with his right foot the most important ball in the history of Spanish soccer.
The match was terrifying from start to finish. Terror because Spain could only play their game in bursts. And terror because the Dutch school was not the usual one, but a school of ill-faced thugs led by Van Bommel, the king of the suburbs in this World Cup. The way the Clockwork Orange approached the match was dirty and slum-like, totally far from the postulates that have taken them to three World Cup finals.
The Clockwork Orange’s approach to the match was dirty and slum-like, a far cry from the principles that have taken them to three World Cup finals. Cruyff should have been ashamed
So much violence unhinged Spain, which never found its touch and, therefore, it’s the way. Even so, they were the team that most insisted on imposing their style. It took them almost 120 minutes to get the glory. Demasiada demora.1278873833279_fotosagencias_20100711_203740
The start was good. The Netherlands struggled to get a proper foothold on the field. The Red took advantage of the quarter of an hour to shoot two or three defeats that could have been a goal. That had traces of resembling the match against Germany. In other words, something overwhelming and not too difficult.
Later it was proven that it was naive to think so. The Netherlands was armed in every way. The team was well-positioned and their players began to distribute in the face of the neglect of Webb, the worst referee on the planet. There were actions by Van Bommel and De Jong that deserved a straight red card. Far from it, the referee was dedicated to chatting with them.
Spain left the game. By taking a lot of punishment, they moved away from the textbook. The break was a blessing because it served to clear their minds. The Netherlands responded to a promising restart with more kicks and, even worse, with a knife: the counter-attack. Robben stood alone in front of Casillas twice, and both times the goalkeeper won the ball.
It took until the 116th minute to get there. Any Spaniard who managed to reach that minute with his cardiovascular system intact was able to enjoy the moment.
La Roja, in fits and starts, also arrived. Sometimes the excess of adornment, other times the imprecision, and, one more, a defender under the posts prevented the goal.
Del Bosque brought on Navas to look for the one-on-one. Holland was up to its eyebrows in cards. Iniesta and Xavi’s play between the lines was gaining ground. Cesc came on to accompany them. The good game flowed in dribbles. But it was flowing.
The Netherlands, who had spent 80 minutes giving them a hard time, lost steam and intensity. The only thing left was the whiplash of a counterattack. But if anyone could and deserved to score, it was Spain. Extra time arrived. La Roja had two very clear chances. But they had to suffer until the 116th minute. Iniesta went in like a knife through hot butter.
Every Spaniard who managed to reach that minute with his cardiovascular system intact could enjoy the moment. Even today and in the days to come, they can still lick their lips at the finish. Spain is the World Champion of soccer and suffering. Perhaps that is why this victory tastes better.
In the small details, we also have to show that we are the best. Andrés Iniesta, who scored the goal of his life after scoring the only goal of the World Cup final in South Africa, dedicated such an important goal to the late Dani Jarque.
It was undoubtedly the moment of the night. All the players went to embrace Iniesta, but they let the WHOLE WORLD see and read that in heaven we also have several champions. Dani Jarque passed away on August 8, 2009, after he lost consciousness in his hotel room during a training camp with Espanyol. The defender was in the best moment of his career and even the doors of the Spanish national team were wide open for him. With this gesture, Iniesta wanted to pay tribute to a player who is still very present in the hearts of all Spaniards.
The Spanish national team is once again at the top of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) rankings. Their victory over the Netherlands in the World Cup final has catapulted them to the top of the rankings for the third time, behind the ‘Orange’ team. Spain, with 1883 points, is ahead of both the Netherlands, finalists in South Africa with 1,659 points, and Brazil, third with 1,536 points, who occupy the next positions in the table.
Spain’s victory last Sunday in Johannesburg not only gave the national team its first world title but also guaranteed its appearance, for the third time, at the top of the world team rankings.
Brazil, third on the list, lost a total of 75 points in this period. Among the most notable movements was that of Chile, which moved up eight places to tenth position. and Uruguay, sixth in the table after gaining ten positions.
On the other side of the table are Italy, eleventh, which has lost six places, and France, which after its disastrous performance in the World Cup falls to the twenty-first position after losing twelve places.