With Qatar preparing to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup, HITC Sport look back at the Team of the Tournament from South Africa 2010 – headlined by Xavi Hernandez and Sergio Ramos.
South Africa hosted the 19th edition of the quadrennial tournament, to be the first African nation to host the finals. Qatar will now become the first Middle Eastern nation to host the Fifa event when they welcome the footballing family from November 20 to December 18.
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This year’s tournament will also be the first World Cup held in the European winter, and is the last with 32 teams. Fifa will increase the number of countries competing to 48 sides for the 2026 edition, at a competition joint-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Spain will hope to head across the Atlantic Ocean as the reigning World Cup winners once again, as they did for Brazil 2014. La Roja lit up the South Africa edition with their glorious brand of tiki-taka football under Vicente del Bosque for their first and so far only Fifa title.
Del Bosque had one of the best squads around in international football at the time, with a dominant midfield able to dominate possession. Spain also travelled to South Africa as the UEFA Euro 2008 champions, expected to again utilise short passing and rapid movements.
The tournament did not start well for La Roja, however, as Switzerland stunned Spain with a 1-0 win in the opening Group H tie. Del Bosque’s squad responded to beat Honduras and Chile to top the table, though, before eliminating Portugal, Paraguay and Germany all 1-0.
Another single-goal clash would decide the final when Andres Iniesta found the back of the net at the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg to beat the Netherlands. He fired La Roja in front with four minutes of extra-time remaining as a worthy Team of the Tournament star.
Iker Casillas (GK): Real Madrid icon captained Spain to win 2010 World Cup
Iker Casillas was already a modern great in goal as Spain headed to the World Cup in 2010, and he would end the South Africa edition in the Team of the Tournament after captaining La Roja to their debut Fifa title at the 17th time of asking and in their first time in the final.
His performances in South Africa also underlined Casilla’s case to be considered one of the all-time great shot-stoppers. The Real Madrid icon kept clean sheets in all four of La Roja’s knockout ties, and was crucial to beating Paraguay after saving Oscar Cardozo’s penalty.
Maicon (RB): Brazil hero scored one of the goals of the tournament in South Africa
The 2010 World Cup is not one Brazil will have too many fond memories of after leaving South Africa in the quarter-finals. But Maicon made the Team of the Tournament after a raft of athletic, attack-minded displays at right-back with the record five-time champions.
Maicon also scored one of the goals of the tournament to help beat North Korea 2-1 in the opening Group G encounter. The full-back lit up Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg with a gutsy burst to the byline, before smashing a curving shot in from a ludicrously tight angle.
Carles Puyol (CB): Barcelona icon the talisman of Spain defence at 2010 World Cup
Carles Puyol was the talisman of Spain’s defence as the Team of the Tournament star and Barcelona icon won the 2010 South Africa World Cup. The big-haired defender was a rock at centre-half, and came up clutch with a thumping header to beat Germany in the semis.
Sergio Ramos (CB): Team of the Tournament call followed versatile World Cup show
Ramos played a crucial role in Spain’s success at the 2010 World Cup to merit his name in the Team of the Tournament. Del Bosque leaned heavily on the defender’s versatility with his presence at right-back adding balance in attack and vital at centre-half alongside Puyol.
Philipp Lahm (LB): Became the youngest player to captain Germany at a World Cup
Philipp Lahm became the youngest player to ever captain Germany at a World Cup finals in 2010, as Michael Ballack missed out with ankle ligament damage. The Bayern Munich icon took on the role superbly and led a young Mannschaft squad all the way to the semi-finals.
Bastian Schweinsteiger (CM): The heartbeat of Germany’s engine room in 2010
Bastian Schweinsteiger may not have had Ballack sitting beside him in the Germany engine room, but the Bayern Munich hero proved to be the heartbeat of their midfield. His robust defending set the tone for Joachim Low’s style of play that returned breathtaking displays.
Xavi (CM): Spain legend now back at Barcelona as Catalan club’s manager
Xavi and Iniesta formed one of the most dominant midfield partnerships at club level with Barcelona – where Xavi returned in 2021 as the manager. They also combined beautifully for Spain, pulling countries apart with blissful ease in possession with magic in their boots.
Andres Iniesta (CAM): Barcelona icon the hero as Spain won 2010 World Cup
Iniesta was by no means a winger, but he took up the wider role in the Spain line-up at the 2010 World Cup. That was mostly only on paper, though, as the Barcelona icon would play on every blade of grass. He was always cutting inside as the driving force for La Roja’s run.
Deservedly, then, it was Iniesta who got the goal that would see Spain win the World Cup for their first time. He underlined his name in the 2010 Team of the Tournament in South Africa by bringing in Cesc Fabregas’ pass and drilling the ball across Maarten Stekelenburg.
Wesley Sneijder (CAM): 2010 World Cup finalist as tournament’s joint-top scorer
Wesley Sneijder produced the best year of his career in 2010 to help the Netherlands into the World Cup final. He was also the talisman of Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan side that won the Champions League, Serie A and the Coppa Italia during a magnificent 2009/10 season.
The Dutchman then took his San Siro showcase form to the global stage in South Africa as a nation’s talisman. Sneijder won four Man of the Match awards at the World Cup, and he secured his Team of the Tournament place with a joint-competition-high five goals scored.
Diego Forlan (ST): Uruguay icon in Team of the Tournament as Golden Ball winner
Four players ended the 2010 World Cup as the joint-top scorer on five goals, but only three made the Team of the Tournament with the Best Young Player, Thomas Muller, snubbed. A place in the XI was on offer to the Golden Ball winner, Diego Forlan of Uruguay, though.
Forlan got to grips with the unpredictable Jabulani ball sooner than most, and struck three goals from outside the area. He also silenced the vuvuzelas against South Africa with a 30-yard screamer and scored the Goal of the Tournament with a scissor-kick against Germany.
David Villa (ST): World Cup winner in Team of the Tournament as joint-top scorer
David Villa demonstrated his true class during the 2010 World Cup to warrant a spot in the Team of the Tournament as one of the joint-top goalscorers. His haul also included scoring the winning efforts in Spain’s last 16 win over Portugal and Paraguay in the quarter-finals.
Without the striker who had left Valencia for Barcelona ahead of the World Cup for £34m, Spain would not have won their first World Cup title. Villa got La Roja’s competition back on track with a brace to beat Honduras 2-0, and he was always willing to drift wide in attack.
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