There is no doubt that most South Africans, as well as the majority of football fans, will be completely shocked by the surprise comments of former England captain Wayne Rooney, who has labelled the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa as the “worst” in the tournament’s history.
Speaking on a recent episode of the The Overlap, the Manchester United legend suggested the iconic tournament in 2020 lacked the “feel” and atmosphere of a global showpiece.
“You are not getting a worse World Cup than South Africa in 2010,” Rooney stated, completely unexpectedly, as the discussion at the time revolved around looking ahead to this year’s World Cup in the USA.
Context needed for 2010 World Cup
Rooney’s comments will ruffle feathers as the 2010 tournament was widely seen as a cultural triumph and hugely successful event for South Africa, defined by the vuvuzela, passionate support and Shakira’s “Waka Waka” anthem.
However, Rooney’s perspective is undeniably coloured by England’s dismal showing in 2010, and how he struggled throughout the tournament, failing to record a single goal or assist.
Sour grapes
Rooney’s critique focused heavily on the lack of fan engagement surrounding the matches. He recalled the drive to England’s opening fixture against the USA as a particularly eerie experience that set the tone for their campaign.
Rooney described the journey to the stadium as “pitch black” with “no fans there,” but it also surely related to England’s remote training base in Rustenburg, which many players felt contributed to their stagnant on-field performances.
England struggled from the start, drawing their opening matches against the USA and Algeria in performances that felt stagnant and devoid of inspiration.
The boiling point occurred during the 0-0 draw against Algeria in Cape Town. As the final whistle blew, the traveling England fans – who had spent thousands to support a team that looked utterly disinterested – erupted in a chorus of boos.
A frustrated Rooney, caught by a television camera as he walked off the pitch, barked, “Nice to see your own fans booing you, that’s what loyal support is.”
The team was famously holed up in a remote, high-altitude training camp in Rustenburg that many players described as a “luxury prison.”
Between the tactical rigidity of manager Fabio Capello, and a team that seemed to have forgotten how to play together, England’s campaign at the 2010 World Cup culminated in a 4-1 thrashing by Germany in the Round of 16.