South Africa 2010
South Africa made history as the first African nation to host the World Cup in 2010 a tournament accompanied by the unmistakable drone of the vuvuzela and a continent's pride. The Rainbow Nation, still shaped by the legacy of Nelson Mandela who made a memorable appearance at the closing ceremony delivered an impeccably organised event. On the pitch, Bafana Bafana fought bravely. Siphiwe Tshabalala's opening goal of the entire tournament a thunderous strike against Mexico produced one of the most joyous celebrations in World Cup history. But a 3-0 defeat to Uruguay and a draw with Mexico left South Africa eliminated in the group stage the first host nation ever to fail to advance. The disappointment was tempered by the knowledge that an African World Cup had been a resounding success, proving the continent could stage football's greatest event.
