Seven days have passed since the closing of the greatest show on earth. The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa provided plenty of drama. Over 140 goals in 64 matches, with some giants of the game found wanting, stars of the international game flopping dramatically and some fairytale stories, that would capture the imagination of any World Cup fanatic fan. This is my comprehensive review of the tournament, picking out twenty moments that made this World Cup stand out, both off and on the pitch.
All the Fears Were Unnecessary
There was a lot of anticipation, but also fear in the build-up to Africa’s big moment. It was reported that terrorists were planning to attack the England v USA group match in Rustenberg, and after what had happened to the Togo national team in Angola, when they were ambushed at January’s Africa Cup of Nations, there were always going to be increasing concerns about the safety of fans, players, the worldwide press and local South Africans. Thankfully, these fears totally turned out to be no more than threats. Despite the odd issue, such as a match steward’s strike and a pre-tournament fan crush before a Nigeria game in the days leading up to the spectacular, but overall, South Africa 2010 turned into a rousing success. Travel was hardly an issue, tickets sold on the black market were eliminated and hooliganism simply did not exist. It was a carnival for the fans, and a pleasing success for the tournament’s organisers.
The England Failure, But Who Was To Blame?
We can talk about this for years to come. Quite frankly, I’m fairly bored of the entire topic, but I do feel I should express my viewpoint before shutting up on this issue for good. Fabio Capello made some massive tactical blunders during the tournament. For example, no back-up plan if the team got into trouble, the goalkeeper situation – as he had no idea who to earmark as a No.1 and telling the team two hours before a crucial match who would start. However, although the buck must stop with Capello, the team must take some of the stick too. Wayne Rooney was hopelessly unfit and useless; Emile Heskey looked like Bambi, not an international striker. Robert Green needs to learn how to catch a football, it’s not hard – whilst Steven Gerrard lacked the passion he shows week in, week out in a Liverpool shirt. Even the energetic Ashley Cole looked a yard short all throughout the finals. John Terry aside, the passion for the shirt must be called into question for these failures. This generation has had its chance, TWICE! They have blown it and now, its time for the youth to get a crack at the whip. Sadly, I don’t think England has much chance in the international game, unless the fundamentals dramatically change.
The ‘Woe Cup’ on ITV
When ITV decided to ditch Formula One at the end of 2008, to entirely focus on Football, it seemed like a risky, but successful move. Two years on, Michael Grade might well be regretting that move. Yes, the studio base, just outside Soccer City was top-notch as was the theme music – ‘When You Come Back,’ by Vusi Mahlasela, which is the best football theme I’ve heard since the legendary ‘Nessum Dorma,’ by Pavarotti for BBC’s coverage of Italia 90 and Marcel Desailly was a charismatic and passionate pundit. However, that is where all the positives end. Taking a commercial break seconds before Steven Gerrard’s opener for England v USA in Rustenberg was a blunder of the first magnitude. Robbie Earle was sent home in disgrace, for a ticketing scam, whilst Adrian Chiles truly proved that he is not cut out for live television. He should just stick to GMTV; at least Steve Rider knows what he is talking about. Craig Burley’s commentator voice is more suited to funerals, whilst Gareth Southgate forgetting who Holland were playing in the semi-finals just about summed it all up. This was a nightmare World Cup for ITV, and one they will need to forget very quickly. Their reputation has taken another battering, and they still have the FA Cup and Champions League rights. This concerns me a lot.
Diego Maradona – What a Character!
Diego Maradona may have his fans, and those who will never forgive him for the ‘Hand of God,’ in 1986. However, no-one can diminish his passion and love for the game of football. His story was remarkable, and it was a largely happy and united Argentina camp throughout South Africa 2010. Once again, they played the best football in the group stages – dismantling South Korea and missing a hatful of chances to overcome Nigeria. Defensively, there were concerns, but with the attacking prowess of Carlos Tevez, Diego Milito, Gonzalo Higuain, Martin Palermo and Lionel Messi, these errors could be easily covered up in the early exchanges. However, when it came to the crunch, Germany exposed Argentina’s weaknesses to the fore, leaving a nation in tears. Maradona has been offered a new four-year deal to stay on as manager and I hope he does, because his gestures and passion from the touchline was one of the stand-out moments of the finals.
The Jabulani – The Worst Football in History!
Receiving a lot of criticism throughout the tournament was the Jabulani football used for the sixty-four matches. Quite simply, it is the worst football to have ever created. Goalkeepers found it difficult to control, midfielders couldn’t dribble as much as they would have liked to and when it came to free-kicks, there was more chance of the football ending in orbit, rather than the back of the net. Diego Forlan and Japan aside, no-one seemed to be able to cope with the Jabulani from a dead ball situation and although the negativity in some of the opening games was painful to watch, the ball didn’t help matters. I hope the makers of the Jabulani, Adidas are hanging their heads in shame. Let’s hope Nike get an exclusive FIFA contract for the 2014 finals in Brazil.
Why Did So Many Superstars Flop On The Greatest Show On Earth?
That is a question that will be difficult to answer, was it the dreaded Jabulani? Were they tired after a long, tiring domestic and international season? Do the lack the passion for the international game? Whatever the answer maybe, Kaka, Samuel Eto’o, Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney all flopped horrendously at this World Cup. Rooney limped throughout the finals, Eto’o simply didn’t step up to the plate for a failing Cameroon, which suggested major friction between him and the now former coach, Paul Le Guen. Kaka was unluckily sent off against the Ivory Coast, but continued where he left off for Real Madrid, playing poorly. Ronaldo did score against North Korea, but was left a frustrated and forlorn figure as Portugal played defensively in three of the four matches they competed in. Drogba was nursing a shoulder injury during the group stages, meaning his physical advantages in his game could not be used and Torres lacked form and match sharpness, which culminated in him being dropped from the semi-final onwards. So, why did so many superstars flop on the greatest show on earth? The answer is several reasons, but the main reason is – they just didn’t perform when the chips were down.
Germany – A Joy to Watch
The Germans are normally associated as a team that grinds out results to make the showpiece events. This wasn’t the case in South Africa. The team played with flair, fluidity and showed no fear whatsoever. Yes, Serbia did surprise them in the group stages in Port Elizabeth, but that was largely on a bad day for Joachim Low’s side, when nothing went right. They blitzed Australia and ripped apart England and Argentina in the knockout stages. Only a well-drilled Spain crushed their dream in the semi-final. However, the likes of Meszut Ozil, Sami Khedira and Thomas Muller are here to stay, and with such an impressive young unit, Germany could well dominate the international game for at least the next five years.
FIFA Embarrassed With The Lack of Technology – Surely It Must Be Used Now?
Six minutes before half-time in Bloemfontein and Frank Lampard hits a cute chip, that beat Manuel Neuer in the Germany goal, and drags England back to 2-2 in their last sixteen encounter. However, it wasn’t given – as the incident was missed by the hopeless Uruguayan officials. Television replays confirmed what we had all previously thought – the ball had gone miles over the line. I personally hope Sepp Blatter, who can’t stand the use of technology, was squirming in his seat. Later that night, the Italian officials awarded a goal to Argentina’s Carlos Tevez against Mexico, despite him being at least five yards offside. England and Mexico were the unlucky ones this time, with the lack of technology. Surely FIFA and the game in general must use the equipment and resources available to them; otherwise there will be a lot more hard luck stories to be heard of in the future.
Italy – A Tournament Too Far For the Ageing Champions
Italy came into these finals playing down their expectations. However, everyone expected them to cruise through a group consisting of debutants Slovakia, inconsistent Paraguay and the ‘amateurs’ from New Zealand. However, the defending champions made a limp start, drawing 1-1 with Paraguay in Cape Town. It set the tone for their tournament, always having to come from behind to save themselves. Eventually, it caught up with them, as Slovakia punished them to maximum effect in one of the best games of the tournament on June 24th. Injuries didn’t help, with Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon playing less than ninety minutes between them, but it was a tournament too far for the ageing champions. The Azzuri were dethroned, and left with egg on their face. Finishing behind New Zealand, a country that doesn’t even have a professional league is staggering! Thank goodness England didn’t end up as bad as they did; this could well be the end of a golden Italian generation.
The Vuvuzela – The New Feature of Football Sound
The controversial and very noisy ‘vuvuzela’ made their debut in the World Cup finals and whether it has taken onto the European game in the next season remains to be seen. In the early games, the sound was just plain annoying, sounding like a ‘swarm of bees.’ In the later stages, they just added to the occasion. I hope they don’t turn up in the Premiership next season, and can see a ban being imposed if they were. However, they added to the atmosphere and the drama of World Cup 2010, and if that’s how the Africans like to appreciate their football – let them embrace it in their own style.
France – Disgraced and Defeated
The worldwide media were predicting either a France team that could cause a surprise, or most likely pick the self-destruct option. Unsurprisingly, they chose the latter option. A dull goalless draw with Uruguay in their opener set the tone for a flimsy and pathetic tournament. Coach Raymond Domenach couldn’t control the squad, and on the touchline against Mexico, really couldn’t care less about what happened out on the pitch. Playing left-back Eric Abidal in centre-half must be one of the most ridiculous tactical decisions I have seen in my life. Thierry Henry was a frustrated spectator throughout, who could only laugh at the fracas. Temperamental Nicolas Anelka was sent home for a blazing row with Domenach, and then the team refused to train, in support of the Chelsea striker. Captain Patrice Evra was dropped for the final group game, and behaved like a dog all throughout the shameful episode. To be honest, a 6-year old could control the team better than Domenach, and they got what they deserved – eliminated with 1 point, 1 goal and flying home in economy class! France were disgraced and defeated and Laurent Blanc has got some job in reviving their fortunes.
Negative Football Is a Disappointment
The amount of negativity from some teams was a real disappointment to witness. Argentina and Germany were the only total attacking sides, out of the main superpowers throughout the finals. The early games were punctured, with some very tedious games – many totally afraid to lose their opening game. The main concern was the lack of attacking intent from some on display, which was very disappointing to see. However, these results don’t win you tournaments. Both Japan and Portugal paid the price in the knockout stages and likewise, Greece and Ivory Coast in the group stages. So, it was good to see more attacking styles from most in the knockout stages onwards.
Chile – Full of Thrills and Entertainment
Chile arrived at these finals believing in themselves. However, they were written off by many as a side just there to make up the numbers. Driven on by a flag at their training camp, in remembrance of those who perished in the devastating earthquake in the country at the beginning of March, their thrilling football was a joy to watch. Marcelo Biesla knows how to play attacking football, and it paid off against Honduras and Switzerland, with two devastating attacking displays, even though the 1-0 scorelines don’t suggest this. Sadly, their tendency to go forward left them exposed against better opposition in the form of Brazil and Spain, but with a talented young squad, like Carlos Carmona, Alexis Sanchez and Matias Fernandez, Chile could well be a major threat in major competitions in the coming years. They won a lot of fans, including myself for the fluid approach to the game at these finals.
Howard Webb – A Very Successful Tournament
England may have flopped miserably on the world stage, but Howard Webb’s reputation increased massively, with his well-disciplined approach to the games he refereed. His performances in his three preliminary games (Spain v Switzerland, Slovakia v Italy and Brazil v Chile) were exemplary. Full credit also must go out to his assistants, Darren Can and Mike Malarkey too for their eagle eyes, when it came to tight offside calls. Some will question his performance in the final, but any referee would have struggled to control that match last week, and I thought he handled the situation very well actually. He deserved to get the final in the first place, and it wasn’t a disastrous performance either. At least England did have a finalist in the end.
The Hand of Luis Suarez
In the dying stages of a pulsating quarter-final in Soccer City, Ajax striker Luis Suarez showed that his goalkeeping ability is second to none. The Uruguayan hitman deliberately handled on the line, to deny Ghana a last-gasp winner in extra-time. Rightly, Suarez was dismissed for his actions, but Asamoah Gyan went on to smack the bar with his spot kick. Suarez’s reaction afterwards was very unsportsmanlike, but his efforts had helped Uruguay win a surprising semi-final place. The incident wasn’t very sporting, but if that was replayed 99 times out of 100, he and many others would have done exactly the same. Though his actions robbed Ghana out of a semi-final berth, it was an instinctive reaction, not deliberate cheating.
The African Continent Disappoints
Despite Ghana’s fairytale run to the quarter-finals, Africa’s entries disappointed at these finals, and showed that the continent still has some way to go, if they want to challenge the heavyweights of Europe and South America in the near future. Nigeria and Cameroon were major letdowns, and are living far too long on former glories. Algeria always were at the finals for the party and nothing more, the Ivory Coast were in a horrible group, yet had their chances to punish Portugal’s lack of ambition, but didn’t take them. In the end, despite the expected early elimination, the hosts did very well in the circumstances. They beat a disorganised French unit and probably should have beaten Mexico in the tournament opener. Had it not been for a more wooden display against Uruguay, they might well have escaped Group A. However, they left their home tournament on a high and far from disgraced. What the African champions Egypt could have done, no-one really knows, but apart from the Ghana drama, it was a disappointing conclusion once more for the host continent.
Paul the ‘Psychic’ Octopus
Despite being 6,000 miles away from South Africa, Paul the ‘Psychic’ 8-legged octopus has become a star overnight and left football pundits shaking in their boots. Their jobs at predicting the games are suddenly under intensifying threat. He got all his predictions right, including an early Italy elimination, Argentina’s quarter-final defeat and a Spain World Cup win. Well done Paul, you are a legend!
Holland Scrape Through, Then Lose Their Heads
Previous Dutch sides have a reputation for their camp to be split down the middle, between two units and for their football to be explosive, but lacking the rewards it deserves. This time around, the Dutch showed a grittier side to their game, and a more determined steel which their coach has created. Apart from a super second-half display to eliminate the Brazilians in the last eight, Holland missed the usual ‘Total Football,’ tag that is normally associated with this country. Sadly in the final, they decided to kick their opponents, rather than attempt to outscore them. Their tactics were dirty, unnecessary and won themselves no plaudits. It was a good result for football then, to see the team that actually wanted to play football, win the World Cup.
Spain Finally Fulfil Their Potential
After years of underachievement and failure, Spain has finally produced the goods, when it matters most. When they lost their opener to Switzerland in Durban on June 16th, it left them on the brink and many questioning, whether this crop of players was going to go down the same route that many predecessors had managed. Instead, they managed to grind themselves into the last four, with sketchy performances against Paraguay and Portugal, yet produce moments of inspiration that got them through. Against Germany and Holland, they played the better football in both games, and that makes them worthy champions. Congratulations to Vicente Del Bosque and his men on achieving this well-deserved success.
The Awards
A brief word on some of the awards I would give out for the 2010 FIFA World Cup:
Player of the Tournament: Diego Forlan (Uruguay)
Young Player of the Tournament: Thomas Muller (Germany)
Golden Boot Winner: Thomas Muller (Germany)
Golden Glove: Manuel Neuer (Germany)
Best Defender: Carlos Puyol (Spain)
Best Midfielder: Wesley Snejider (Holland)
Team of the Tournament: Manuel Neuer (Germany), Sergio Ramos (Spain), Arne Friedrich (Germany), Carlos Puyol (Spain), Fabio Coentrao (Portugal), Andreas Iniesta (Spain), Wesley Snejider (Holland), Meszut Ozil (Germany), Thomas Muller (Germany), David Villa (Spain), Diego Forlan (Uruguay)
SUBS: Iker Casillas (Spain), Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (Holland), Andre Anyweu (Ghana), Alexis Sanchez (Chile), Dirk Kuyt (Holland), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Miroslav Klose (Germany)
Goal of the Tournament: 1st: Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (Holland v Uruguay)
2nd: Fabio Quagirella (Slovakia v Italy)
3rd: Luis Suarez (Uruguay v South Korea)
Match of the Tournament: 1st: Uruguay 1-1 Ghana – Quarter-Final, 2nd July
2nd: Slovakia 3-2 Italy – Group Stages, 24th June
3rd: Uruguay 2-3 Germany – 3rd Place Playoff, 10th July
Roll on Brazil 2014!
