Cea de-a 19-a Cupă Mondială s-a disputat în Africa de Sud între 11 iunie și 11 iulie. După o fază de calificare, care include un total de 204 de echipe naționale (un record), 32 de echipe ar primi un loc în turneul final, inclusiv națiunea gazdă calificată automat Africa de Sud. Slovacia și Serbia aveau să-și facă debutul în turneu.
Background
FIFA World Cup 2010 would be historical in terms of the location; it was the first time ever that the tournament was played in Africa (Morocco had been rather close to be the host in 1994, 7 votes against 10 votes for USA). But this time it was decided that the tournament would be arranged in Africa and consequently only African countries candidated for the hosting – Egypt and Morocco came closest in the bidding process.
The football audience that had followed the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup on television had been acquainted with the brass instrument named Vuvuzela, that filled the stadiums with a high and monotonic sound during the games. Since the appearance of Vuvuzelas disturbed a part of the spectators and conceivably the players as well a debate concerning prohibition of the Vuvuzelas arise before the tournament. No ban was, however determined.
Format
Formatul a fost copiat de la turneul anterior. Înseamnă că o primă rundă cu o fază de grupe formată din opt grupe de patru echipe va trece la un al doilea tur cu o fază eliminatorie.
Orașe și arene
Meciurile s-ar juca în douăsprezece orașe și în aceeași cantitate de stadioane (a se vedea căsuța „Orașe și stadioane” pentru o prezentare generală). Cel mai mare stadion unde s-a disputat finala a fost Stadionul Maracana (Estádio do Maracanã). Fusese reconstruit pentru turneu și avea o capacitate de 74.738 (care putea fi comparată cu capacitatea de aproape 200.000 în 1950).
turneu
Brazilia, Germania, Spania și Argentina au fost patru dintre cele mai mari favorite înainte de începerea turneului. Argentina a avut pe teren duo-ul spectaculos format din Diego Maradona ca antrenor și Lionel Messi. După performanțe impresionante ale echipei argentiniene, ar fi o oprire bruscă cu un 0-4 împotriva Germaniei în sferturile de finală. Brazilia ar fi, de asemenea, eliminată în sferturile de finală de Olanda. Spania și Germania, celelalte două mari favorite, s-ar întâlni într-una din Semifinale, iar rezultatul ar fi o reluare la finala Euro 2008 dintre cele două echipe.
În cealaltă semifinală, Olanda ar învinge Uruguay într-un joc oarecum brutal. Brutalitatea care a escaladat din partea Țărilor de Jos în finală ar fi trebuit să ducă la două cartonașe roșii.
Când Andrés Iniesta la prelungiri a marcat singurul gol din joc pentru Spania, s-a simțit moral meritat. Spania care a fost campioana europeană a reușit să câștige următoarea Cupă Mondială, pe care doar Germania de Vest o reușise înainte.
Group 1
South Africa – Mexico 1–1
Uruguay – France 0–0
South Africa – Uruguay 0–3
France – Mexico 0–2
Mexico – Uruguay 0–1
France – South Africa 1–2
Group B
Argentina – Nigeria 1–0
Korea Republic – Greece 2–0
Greece – Nigeria 2–1
Argentina – Korea Republic 4–1
Nigeria – Korea Republic 2–2
Greece – Argentina 0–2
Group C
England – United States 1–1
Algeria – Slovenia 0–1
Slovenia – United States 2–2
England – Algeria 0–0
Slovenia – England 0–1
United States – Algeria 1–0
Group D
Germany – Australia 4–0
Serbia – Ghana 0–1
Germany – Serbia 0–1
Ghana – Australia 1–1
Ghana – Germany 0–1
Australia – Serbia 2–1
Group E
Netherlands – Denmark 2–0
Japan – Cameroon 1–0
Netherlands – Japan 1–0
Cameroon – Denmark 1–2
Denmark – Japan 1–3
Cameroon – Netherlands 1–2
Group F
Italy – Paraguay 1–1
New Zealand – Slovakia 1–1
Slovakia – Paraguay 0–2
Italy – New Zealand 1–1
Slovakia – Italy 3–2
Paraguay – New Zealand 0–0
Group G
Cote d`Ivoire – Portugal 0–0
Brazil – South Korea 2–1
Brazil – Cote d`Ivoire 3–1
Portugal – South Korea 7–0
Portugal – Brazil 0–0
South Korea – Cote d`Ivoire 0–3
Group H
Honduras – Chile 0–1
Spain – Switzerland 0–1
Chile – Switzerland 1–0
Spain – Honduras 2–0
Chile – Spain 1–2
Switzerland – Honduras 0–0
Round of 16
Uruguay – Korea Republic 2–1
United States – Ghana 1–2 a.e.t.
Germany – England 4–1
Argentina – Mexico 3–1
Netherlands – Slovakia 2–1
Brazil – Chile 3–0
Paraguay – Japan 0–0 a.e.t. penalties 5–3
Spain – Portugal 1–0
Quarter Finals
Uruguay – Ghana 1–1 a.e.t. penalties 4–2
Netherlands – Brazil 2–1
Argentina – Germany 0–4
Paraguay – Spain 0–1
Semi-finals
Uruguay – Netherlands 2–3
Germany – Spain 0–1
Third place match
Uruguay – Germany 2–3
Final
Netherlands – Spain 0–1 a.e.t.
FIRST PHASE Group A 11- 6-10 Johannesburg South Africa 1-1 Mexico 11- 6-10 Cape Town Uruguay 0-0 France 16- 6-10 Pretoria South Africa 0-3 Uruguay 17- 6-10 Polokwane France 0-2 Mexico 22- 6-10 Bloemfontein South Africa 2-1 France 22- 6-10 Rustenburg Mexico 0-1 Uruguay 1.URUGUAY 3 2 1 0 4- 0 7 2.MEXICO 3 1 1 1 3- 2 4 3.South Africa 3 1 1 1 3- 5 4 4.France 3 0 1 2 1- 4 0 Group B 12- 6-10 Port Elizabeth South Korea 2-0 Greece 12- 6-10 Johannesburg Argentina 1-0 Nigeria 17- 6-10 Johannesburg Argentina 4-1 South Korea 17- 6-10 Bloemfontein Greece 2-1 Nigeria 22- 6-10 Polokwane Greece 0-2 Argentina 22- 6-10 Durban Nigeria 2-2 South Korea 1.ARGENTINA 3 3 0 0 7- 1 9 2.SOUTH KOREA 3 1 1 1 5- 6 4 3.Greece 3 1 0 2 2- 5 3 4.Nigeria 3 0 1 2 3- 5 1 Group C 12- 6-10 Rustenburg England 1-1 USA 13- 6-10 Polokwane Algeria 0-1 Slovenia 18- 6-10 Johannesburg Slovenia 2-2 USA 18- 6-10 Cape Town England 0-0 Algeria 23- 6-10 Port Elizabeth Slovenia 0-1 England 23- 6-10 Pretoria USA 1-0 Algeria 1.USA 3 1 2 0 4- 3 5 2.ENGLAND 3 1 2 0 2- 1 5 3.Slovenia 3 1 1 1 3- 3 4 4.Algeria 3 0 1 2 0- 2 1 Group D 13- 6-10 Pretoria Germany 4-0 Australia 13- 6-10 Durban Serbia 0-1 Ghana 18- 6-10 Port Elizabeth Germany 0-1 Serbia 19- 6-10 Rustenburg Ghana 1-1 Australia 23- 6-10 Nelspruit Australia 2-1 Serbia 23- 6-10 Johannesburg Ghana 0-1 Germany 1.GERMANY 3 2 0 1 5- 1 6 2.GHANA 3 1 1 1 2- 2 4 3.Australia 3 1 1 1 3- 6 4 4.Serbia 3 1 0 2 2- 3 3 Group E 14- 6-10 Johannesburg Netherlands 2-0 Denmark 14- 6-10 Bloemfontein Japan 1-0 Cameroon 19- 6-10 Durban Netherlands 1-0 Japan 19- 6-10 Pretoria Cameroon 1-2 Denmark 24- 6-10 Cape Town Cameroon 1-2 Netherlands 24- 6-10 Rustenburg Denmark 1-3 Japan 1.NETHERLANDS 3 3 0 0 5- 1 9 2.JAPAN 3 2 0 1 4- 2 6 3.Denmark 3 1 0 2 3- 6 3 4.Cameroon 3 0 0 3 2- 5 0 Group F 14- 6-10 Cape Town Italy 1-1 Paraguay 15- 6-10 Rustenburg New Zealand 1-1 Slovakia 20- 6-10 Bloemfontein Slovakia 0-2 Paraguay 20- 6-10 Nelspruit Italy 1-1 New Zealand 24- 6-10 Polokwane Paraguay 0-0 New Zealand 24- 6-10 Johannesburg Slovakia 3-2 Italy 1.PARAGUAY 3 1 2 0 3- 1 5 2.SLOVAKIA 3 1 1 1 4- 5 4 3.New Zealand 3 0 3 0 2- 2 3 4.Italy 3 0 2 1 4- 5 2 Group G 15- 6-10 Port Elizabeth Ivory Coast 0-0 Portugal 15- 6-10 Johannesburg Brazil 2-1 North Korea 20- 6-10 Johannesburg Brazil 3-1 Ivory Coast 21- 6-10 Cape Town Portugal 7-0 North Korea 25- 6-10 Nelspruit North Korea 0-3 Ivory Coast 25- 6-10 Durban Portugal 0-0 Brazil 1.BRAZIL 3 2 1 0 5- 2 7 2.PORTUGAL 3 1 2 0 7- 0 5 3.Ivory Coast 3 1 1 1 4- 3 4 4.North Korea 3 0 0 3 1-12 0 Group H 16- 6-10 Nelspruit Honduras 0-1 Chile 16- 6-10 Durban Spain 0-1 Switzerland 21- 6-10 Port Elizabeth Chile 1-0 Switzerland 21- 6-10 Johannesburg Spain 2-0 Honduras 25- 6-10 Pretoria Chile 1-2 Spain 25- 6-10 Bloemfontein Switzerland 0-0 Honduras 1.SPAIN 3 2 0 1 4- 2 6 2.CHILE 3 2 0 1 3- 2 6 3.Switzerland 3 1 1 1 1- 1 4 4.Honduras 3 0 1 2 0- 3 1 1/8 FINALS 26- 6-10 Port Elizabeth Uruguay 2-1 South Korea 26- 6-10 Rustenburg USA 1-2 Ghana [aet] 27- 6-10 Bloemfontein Germany 4-1 England 27- 6-10 Johannesburg Argentina 3-1 Mexico 28- 6-10 Durban Netherlands 2-1 Slovakia 28- 6-10 Johannesburg Brazil 3-0 Chile 29- 6-10 Pretoria Paraguay 0-0 Japan [aet] Paraguay won 5-3 on penalties 29- 6-10 Cape Town Spain 1-0 Portugal QUARTERFINALS 2- 7-10 Port Elizabeth Brazil 1-2 Netherlands 2- 7-10 Johannesburg Uruguay 1-1 Ghana [aet] Uruguay won 4-2 on penalties 3- 7-10 Cape Town Argentina 0-4 Germany 3- 7-10 Johannesburg Paraguay 0-1 Spain SEMIFINALS 6- 7-10 Cape Town Netherlands 3-2 Uruguay 7- 7-10 Durban Germany 0-1 Spain THIRD PLACE MATCH 10- 7-10 Port Elizabeth Germany 3-2 Uruguay FINAL Johannesburg, July 11, 2010 Spain 1-0 Netherlands [aet] Spain: Casillas, Ramos, Piqué, Puyol, Capdevila, Pedro (60' Navas), Busquets, Xavi, Xabi Alonso (87' Fábregas), Iniesta, Villa (106' Torres) Netherlands: Stekelenburg, Van der Wiel, Heitinga, Mathijsen, Van Bronckhorst (105' Braafheid), Robben, Van Bommel, Sneijder, De Jong (99' Van der Vaart), Kuyt (71' Elia), Van Persie Referee: Webb (England) Attendance: 84,490. Scorer: 116' Iniesta 1-0. Red card: Heitinga (109', second yellow). Topscorers: Forlán (Uruguay), Th. Müller (Germany), Sneijder (Netherlands), Villa (Spain) 5 goals.