2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa

When you hear “South Africa” you’re likely to think of the 2010 FIFA World Cup as this event put South Africa on the map. What, besides the victory of Spain, were the most memorable events throughout the tournament?

It was the first FIFA World Cup held on the African continent. In the struggle for the right to host the championship, the South African application bypassed the applications of Morocco and Egypt. The qualifying tournament was attended by 204 of the 208 national teams that entered FIFA, making this champion the largest sporting event in this participating country, repeating the achievement of the Beijing Olympics.

Adidas developed the Jabulani soccer ball which became the official match ball for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The ball consists of eight 3D-shaped, spherical EVA and TPU panels that wrap around the ball's inner frame. As a result of new technologies, an innovative round surface of the ball was created.

But, to be honest, it is not even the host country or the new match ball that 2010 has gone down for in history. Most fans around the world probably still have the Championship anthem stuck in their heads. Shakira’s song «Waka Waka», which is now inextricably linked with summer, football, Coca Cola and overall good vibes, was a massive hit at the 2010 Fifa World Cup! Shakira combined culture and football to bring a song that had the stadiums erupting with joy. No matter what country you were cheering for, it’s safe to say that no one was able to help themselves from dancing with whomever they were seated beside during the games.

We cannot talk about the 2010 Fifa World Cup without mentioning the vuvuzelas. Traditionally made from a kudo horn, vuvuzelas were historically used as a tool to summon distant villagers to attend events. They have become a staple in football stadiums, but fans got a little too excited with the vuvuzelas, as its droning sounds made it difficult for the players and coaches to concentrate on the games. Oops! It was still fun while it lasted!

While you're reading about the past World Cup, read up on what to anticipate for the upcoming Qatar World Cup.

Written By Aishia

Official World Cup SOuth Africa 2010 Songs: