World Cup 2010

A-Z of the 2010 World Cup!

Updated Saturday, 31 December 2016

A is for Ayoba!

Thanks South Africa for making it Ayoba! (Uniquely South African, Ayoba is a slang term used to express delight, excitement, agreement and approval)

B is for Brazil.

We’ll see you there for the World Cup in 2014 – with our Vuvuzelas!.

C is for the Cape Town Fan Walk

a 2.6 km pedestrian link from the station through to Somerset Road and the Stadium Forecourt within the Green Point Urban Park. Fans and Capetonians alike took to doing the “Fan Walk” in their thousands … and a memorable time was had by all …

D is for Diego Maradona and his sideline antics.

Don’t cry for me Argentina …

E is for Extra Time.

An extra 30 minutes of football fun.

F is for flying the Flag.

Keep flying it, be Proudly South African.

G is for Ghana.

Thank you Ghana for making Africa proud.

H is for the Hand of God, Frog, Clod or Satan.

Take your pick!

I is for Iniesta.

Spain’s midfielder Andres Iniesta scores the winning goal during extra-time in the 2010 World Cup football final Netherlands vs. Spain on July 11, 2010 at Soccer City stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg.

J is for Jabulani.

Jabulani – meaning ‘to Celebrate’ in the isiZulu language, was the name of the official ball used during the FIFA World Cup 2010™.

K is for Ke Nako.

“Ke Nako – Celebrate Africa’s Humanity” was the slogan used for the 2010 World Cup.

L is for Laduma!

154 goals scored.

M is for Madiba Moment

A brief appearance at the start of the closing ceremony in Soccer City on Sunday 11 July. Nelson Mandela, warmly dressed in a black overcoat, gloves and fur hat, waved and smiled as he was greeted with a standing ovation from the huge crowd. Thank you Madiba for giving us our “Madiba Moment”.

N is for the Netherlands fans.

They arrived by car, on foot, by plane and followed their team from city to city, cheering them on and willing them to win to the bitter end, blowing orange vuvuzelas and waving Dutch flags …

O is for Offside.

Thanks to all the Dads, husbands, boyfriends, uncles and brothers who patiently explained this rule to us girls. (Sorry, but most of us still don’t get it!).

P is for Paul the Octopus.

Depending on whether “Your” team won or lost you either love him or are eating Calamari for a month!

Q is for the Quarter-Finals.

Who could forget the Quarter final match in Cape Town between Argentina and Germany – thousands of Capetonians took the streets to support either of the two teams, dressed in their “adopted” teams colours and making it a day to remember …

R is for the refs.

Though some controversial decisions were made, the games would not be the same without them!

S is for Spain.

Their first ever World Cup Victory. Congratulations to the Spanish Team for taking home the Jules Rimet Trophy for the first time! You delighted us with your fabulous display of football on the field (and the girls rate your team as the “hottest”).

T is for Tshabalala.

Who could forget the first goal of the 2010 World Cup scored by our very own Siphiwe Tshabalala? It was cause to celebrate … the first time South Africa scored a World Cup goal on our own soil, the first time an African nation scored a World Cup goal on our continent and the first time almost 85,000 fans at Soccer City Stadium had a reason to blow their vuvuzelas at fever pitch in celebration.

U is for upsets.

South Africa sent France packing, the 2006 Champions early departure, Netherlands defeating Brazil, Japan making it to the Quarter Finals … and the others which had us glued to our TV screens …

V is for Vuvuzela

now a world-wide phenomenon.

W is for the Waka Waka.

Shakira performed her international football-themed hit “Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)” one last time at the FIFA World Cup closing ceremony ahead of Spain’s win against The Netherlands.

X is for xxxxx’s

kisses for the all the fans for making it so special.

Y is for You, the fan!

Wouldn’t have been the same with you.

Z is for Zuma.

For playing footie and setting a fashion trend. We love your SA Scarf!

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