It was the vuvuzelas. If you close your eyes and think back to South Africa, that’s the first thing you hear—that constant, low-pitched drone that sounded like a million angry bees descended on a stadium. It drove broadcasters crazy. It drove some players crazy. But for anyone asking who won the soccer world cup in 2010, that sound is the permanent soundtrack to the moment Spanish football finally shed its "underachiever" label and touched the sky.
Spain won. Honestly, it feels obvious now, doesn't it? We look at that era of Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets and think, of course they won. But back then? It wasn't a sure thing. Not even close.
They actually lost their first game to Switzerland. Imagine that. The eventual champions started the biggest tournament on earth by getting tripped up 1-0. People were already sharpening their knives, saying "same old Spain," assuming they'd choke under the pressure of being European champions. But they didn't. They ground it out.
The Brutality of the Johannesburg Final
Let’s be real: the final against the Netherlands wasn't a beautiful game of football. It was a street fight. Howard Webb, the English referee, had to hand out 14 yellow cards. Fourteen! He probably should have sent off Nigel de Jong in the first half for that infamous "karate kick" to Xabi Alonso’s chest. Somehow, it was only a yellow. Alonso later said it felt like his body had been torn apart.
The Dutch strategy was clear: if you can't outplay the Tiki-Taka, you outmuscle it. They hacked. They tripped. They disrupted. It worked for 115 minutes.
Then came Andres Iniesta.
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He isn't a big guy. He doesn't look like a terrifying athlete. But in the 116th minute, with the weight of an entire nation on his shoulders, he stayed calm. Cesc Fabregas found him in the box, and Iniesta lashed the ball across Maarten Stekelenburg into the far corner. He didn't just celebrate; he ripped off his shirt to reveal a vest dedicated to his late friend Dani Jarque, who had passed away a year earlier. It was raw. It was human. It was the goal that defined a generation.
Why 2010 Changed Everything for Spain
Before who won the soccer world cup in 2010 became a trivia answer, Spain was the team that always found a way to lose. They were the "Fury," but they lacked the finish.
The 2010 squad was different because it was essentially FC Barcelona with a few Real Madrid icons like Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos sprinkled in. They didn't just play soccer; they played keep-away. They averaged 60-70% possession in almost every match. It was suffocating. If the other team doesn't have the ball, they can't score. Simple, right? But doing it at that level requires a technical perfection that we haven't really seen since.
The Key Pillars of the Squad:
- Iker Casillas: People forget he made a massive toe-flick save against Arjen Robben in the final. If Robben scores there, the Netherlands win. Period.
- Carles Puyol: The mane of hair. The heart. His header against Germany in the semi-final was pure aggression.
- David Villa: He carried the scoring load. Five goals. Without his clinical finishing in the group stages and the Round of 16, Spain would have gone home early.
- The Midfield Trio: Xavi, Busquets, and Iniesta. They moved the ball like it was on a string. It was hypnotic.
The Vuvuzela Factor and the Jabulani
You can't talk about 2010 without mentioning the ball. The Adidas Jabulani. Goalkeepers hated it. It moved weirdly. It felt light. Julio Cesar compared it to a "supermarket ball." This actually played into Spain's hands. While other teams were overcooking long balls that sailed out of bounds, Spain kept the ball on the grass. They didn't care if the ball was aero-dynamically unstable because they rarely kicked it more than 15 yards at a time.
South Africa as a host was spectacular, too. There was so much skepticism before the tournament—people worried about crime, infrastructure, and the winter weather. But the atmosphere was electric. From Shakira’s "Waka Waka" to the sight of Nelson Mandela at the closing ceremony, it felt like more than just a sports tournament.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Spain’s Run
A common misconception is that Spain blew everyone away. They didn't. They didn't score more than two goals in a single match during the entire tournament.
Look at the knockout scores:
- 1-0 vs Portugal
- 1-0 vs Paraguay
- 1-0 vs Germany
- 1-0 vs Netherlands
It was the most efficient, disciplined, and slightly boring dominance in history. They weren't trying to score five; they were trying to make sure you never got the ball back once they scored one. It was psychological warfare disguised as beautiful passing.
The Paul the Octopus Phenomenon
Remember the octopus? It sounds ridiculous now—a "psychic" cephalopod in Germany picking food boxes to predict winners. But Paul the Octopus became a global superstar because he correctly predicted all of Germany's games and the final. When he picked the Spanish flag for the final, Spain fans celebrated like they'd already won.
The Legacy of the 2010 Victory
When Spain won, they completed a "Triple Crown" (Euro 2008, World Cup 2010, Euro 2012). No one had ever done that. It cemented their style as the gold standard for a decade. Every youth academy in the world started trying to breed "Spanish-style" midfielders. Everyone wanted to be Xavi.
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But it also showed the world that you didn't need to be the biggest or strongest team to win. You needed the most intelligent players. Spain’s starting lineup in the final featured several players under 5'8". In a sport often dominated by physical monsters, the 2010 World Cup was a victory for the technicians.
How to Relive the 2010 Magic Today
If you want to truly understand the tactical shift Spain brought to the world stage, don't just watch the highlights. Highlights only show the goals.
Watch a full 90-minute replay of Spain vs. Germany (Semi-final).
It is a masterclass in spatial awareness. Notice how Sergio Busquets always seems to be in the right place to intercept a pass without even running hard. Watch how Xavi turns in circles to find an open lane. It’s a chess match on grass.
Study the Final’s discipline.
Look at the card count. It’s a lesson in how to stay composed when an opponent is trying to provoke you. Spain didn't retaliate; they just kept passing.
Listen to the sound.
Put on a recording of a 2010 match with high-quality audio. That vuvuzela hum is polarizing, but it’s the only way to get the true "vibe" of that tournament.
Spain's victory in 2010 wasn't just a win for a country; it was the culmination of a specific philosophy of football that changed the game forever. They proved that if you're good enough with the ball, the other team eventually just gives up.
To dig deeper into this era, look up "La Masia's influence on the 2010 World Cup." You'll find that the chemistry built in a single club's academy in Barcelona basically provided the blueprint for the greatest national team run in history. Check out the documentary "The Secrets of La Roja" for behind-the-scenes footage of the locker room during that tournament—it’s the best way to see the human side of the men who conquered the world.