The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is almost here and players will be trying to break into squads, so what happened to the youngest stars at South Africa 2010 – including Christian Eriksen?
Eight teenagers featured at the first Fifa World Cup to be held on African soil 12 years ago, and have gone on to enjoy mixed success at club level. One has already retired after calling time on his playing days in 2020, while others have also enjoyed trophy-laden spells so far.
Qatar should feature a wealth of young talents when the footballing family visits for the first World Cup in the Middle East. Barcelona gem Gavi is just 18 and is already a key player for Spain, while 19-year-old talent Jamal Musiala is a regular for Germany and Bayern Munich.
Christian Eriksen was the youngest player at South Africa 2010 World Cup
Eriksen was the youngest player to feature during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with Denmark. The midfield maestro had his maiden appearance at the tournament at 18 years and four months old as De Rod-Hvide lost 2-0 against the Netherlands in the group stage.
Manager Morten Olsen introduced Eriksen as a 73rd-minute substitute while trailing 1-0 at the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg. The Middelfart-born creator had only enjoyed his senior international debut three months earlier, and played two fixtures at the World Cup.
Eriksen is now a 115-cap international, and featured four times at his second World Cup in 2018. He also scored one goal and laid on an assist as Denmark reached the Round of 16 in Russia, before losing on penalties to finalists Croatia after a 1-1 draw in Nizhny Novgorod.
Olsen gave Eriksen his international debut just three months after his senior debut at Ajax in January 2010. The 30-year-old went on to join Tottenham Hotspur in 2013 for £11.5m, and enjoyed 305 games in north London and helped Spurs reach a Champions League final.
A move to Inter Milan followed in January 2020 for £17m, but he had to leave the San Siro side in 2021 after suffering a cardiac arrest during Euro 2020. Brentford offered Eriksen his return to the game in January 2022, where his efforts led to a move to Manchester United.
Vincent Aboubakar was the second-youngest to feature at South Africa 2010
Vincent Aboubakar was the second-youngest to play at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with Cameroon. He made his tournament debut against Denmark at 18 years, four months and 28 days off the bench in a Group E tie, which De Rod-Hvide would win 2-1 in Pretoria.
The centre-forward had only debuted for Cameroon in a pre-tournament friendly against Slovakia before travelling to South Africa. He is now an 85-cap international with 33 goals and six assists for Les Lions Indomptables, and also won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017.
At club level, Aboubakar left Coton Sport FC in Cameroon for French outfit Valenciennes after the 2010 World Cup. He spent three years there, before spells with Lorient, FC Porto and Besiktas, who he left in July 2021 and signed for current club Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
Chris Wood now at Newcastle after being young player at South Africa 2010
Chris Wood is now at Newcastle United 12 years after being the third-youngest player at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with New Zealand. The striker had his maiden outing of the tournament at 18 years, six months and eight days old during a 1-1 draw with Slovakia.
The Auckland native was already a regular piece in the All Whites’ squad, having debuted in June 2009. He is now a 68-cap international, and set the record for the most goals by a New Zealand player this March with his 29th of 33 strikes – alongside seven assists so far.
Wood’s domestic career took the Kiwi to England with West Brom in 2008 from Waikato FC at youth level. He enjoyed loans with Barnsley, Brighton, Birmingham, Bristol City and to Millwall before transfers to Leicester in 2013, Leeds United in 2015 and Burnley in 2017.
At Turf Moor, Wood registered his most appearances with a single team so far in his career with 165 for 53 goals. The 30-year-old set his personal-best Premier League season-high of 14 in 2019/20, and got a move to Newcastle this January through his £25m release clause.
Xherdan Shaqiri enjoyed trophy success after young showing in South Africa
Xherdan Shaqiri has enjoyed trophy success across Europe since making a young showing at the 2010 World Cup. He first featured for Switzerland in South Africa at 18 years, eight months and 15 days during a goalless draw with Honduras to round off Group H in third.
The right-winger debuted for Switzerland in March 2010 in the lead-up to the World Cup. He is now a 106-cap international with 26 goals and 29 assists, including four goals and an assist during World Cups after a hat-trick at Brazil 2014 and further efforts at Russia 2018.
Shaqiri currently plies his trade domestically in Major League Soccer at Chicago Fire after a switch to America this February from Lyon. He only signed for the Ligue 1 side last August to leave Liverpool, following spells with Basel, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Stoke City.
The Swiss FA also named the Gjilan, Kosovo native as the Swiss Footballer of the Year for 2011 and 2012. He also won three Swiss Super League titles at Basel, plus three German Bundesligas with Bayern and a Premier League at Liverpool – plus the Champions League.
Joel Matip the eldest 18-year-old to debut at 2010 South Africa World Cup
Joel Matip was the eldest 18-year-old to debut at the 2010 South Africa World Cup at 18, 10 months and six days. He made his tournament bow whilst Cameroon lost 1-0 to Japan in Group E, having started and played 63 minutes as a holding midfielder in Bloemfontein.
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The 31-year-old has since only gone on to reach 27 appearances for the national side, with his last in 2015. Matip made himself unavailable for selection after some bad experiences with technical staff in 2015 following an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, as cited by Goal.
He had selected to represent Cameroon, the country of his father, at international level in 2010, having been born in Germany. The Bochum native also started his club career with Schalke, before leaving for Liverpool as a free agent in 2016 following 258 senior outings.
Injuries have since decimated Matip’s record with just 169 games with the Anfield natives in all competitions. But moving to Merseyside saw Matip add one Champions League, an FA Cup, an EFL Cup and a Premier League winners’ medal to his 2010/11 DFL-Pokal title.
Lukman Haruna retired in 2020, a decade after South Africa World Cup showing
Lukman Haruna was the youngest 19-year-old to make their debut at the 2010 World Cup at 19, six months and eight days with Nigeria in a 1-0 defeat to Argentina. He started the Group B encounter at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg for one of just eight career caps.
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The Lagos native made his international bow in 2008, but did not feature again before the 2010 World Cup warm-up games. A five-year wait would then follow before Haruna played another game for Nigeria and he would not feature again after an AFCON qualifier in 2015.
Domestically, his career took Haruna on a tour of Eastern Europe, the Baltic region and to the Caucasus region. Karuna first moved to Europe with Monaco, before spells at Dynamo Kyiv, Goverla, Anzhi Makhachkala, FC Astana, Palanga and Ararat Yerevan before retiring.
Jonathan Mensah helped Ghana take a point on 2010 World Cup debut
Jonathan Mensah helped Ghana get a point against Australia in Group D on his 2010 World Cup debut in South Africa at 19 years, 11 months and six days old. The centre-back played the full 90 minutes at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Phokeng, despite a late yellow card.
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The 32-year-old had debuted for Ghana in May 2009, and boasts 70 caps with his country today. Mensah also has the captain’s armband at MLS franchise Columbus Crew, who he joined in 2017 from Anzhi after spells with Free State Stars, Udinese, Granada and Evian.
Lee Addy helped Ghana beat Serbia on 2010 World Cup debut as a teen
Lee Addy made his debut at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as Ghana beat Serbia 1-0. He first featured at the tournament at 19 years, 11 months and six days old, after coming off the bench for Kevin-Prince Boateng late in stoppage-time during a Group D encounter.
The centre-half has since gone on to hit 27 caps but never made a move to a top European league. Addy’s career featured AC Tripoli, Berekum Chelsea, Red Star Belgrade, DL Aerbin, Dinamo Zagreb, NK Lokomotiva, Cukaricki, Lusaka Dynamos and lastly FS Stars until 2019.
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