Kwame Bediako
Former Egland striker, Wayne Rooney has ignited debate by branding the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the only edition hosted on African soil and hailed by many as iconic, with Spain’s inaugural triumph over the Netherlandsas the absolute worst.
Speaking on The Overlap Podcast, the ex-Three Lions striker pinned his scathing assessment squarely on a “lifeless” fan atmosphere that drained the event of its magic.
“You’re not getting a worse World Cup than the 2010 FIFA World Cup. That tournament never even felt like a World Cup” – Rooney lamented.
The 2010 spectacle, staged across South Africa’s rainbow nation from June 11 to July 11, shattered barriers as Africa’s debut host, drawing record TV audiences and iconic moments like Spain’s inaugural triumph in a brutal final against the Netherlands (1-0 after extra time, Andrés Iniesta’s 116th-minute heroics).
Hailed for its cultural explosion, the relentless vuvuzela buzz, Shakira’s “Waka Waka” anthem, and upsets like Ghana’s dramatic quarterfinal penalty shootout loss to Uruguay, it’s etched in nostalgia for many.
Yet Rooney, who lined up for England in Group C, experienced a starkly different vibe, compounded by matches in remote venues like Rustenburg’s Royal Bafokeng Stadium amid chilly highveld nights.
Rooney’s beef stems from personal scars on the pitch. England, burdened by sky-high expectations, stuttered through a 1-1 draw with the USA (thanks to Clint Dempsey’s equalizer on a Steven Gerrard opener), scraped past Slovenia 1-0, then crumbled 4-1 to Germany in the last 16.
That Bloemfontein rout, sealed by goals from Thomas Müller, Miroslav Klose, Mezut Özil, and Bastian Schweinsteiger, was defined by the infamous “Lampard ghost goal.”
Fank Lampard’s shot crossing the line by a meter before being waved back, robbing the Three Lions of momentum. For Rooney, who netted zero goals amid a dismal campaign, the off-field emptiness amplified the on-pitch despair.
The backlash has been swift, especially in South Africa and across Africa, where the tournament symbolized continental pride and boosted football’s global footprint.
Pundits point out Rooney’s bias: England’s flop overshadowed the carnival vibe felt by neutrals, from Siphiwe Tshabalala’s stunning opening goal to Diego Forlán’s free-kick wizardry for Uruguay. Social media erupts with clips of packed stands and fan zones, challenging his “pitch black” narrative.
