Editing 2010 FIFA World Cup (section)

==Knockout stage==
{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage}}
''All times listed are [[South African Standard Time]] ([[UTC+02:00|UTC+2]]).''

The [[single-elimination tournament|knockout stage]] comprised the 16 teams that advanced from the group stage of the tournament. There were four rounds of matches, with each round eliminating half of the teams entering that round. The successive rounds were the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final. There was also a play-off to decide third and fourth place. For each game in the knockout stage, any draw at 90 minutes was followed by thirty minutes of [[extra time]]; if scores were still level, there was a [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shoot-out]] to determine who progressed to the next round.<ref name=regulations>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/56/42/69/fifawcsouthafrica2010inhalt%5fe.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601111836/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/56/42/69/fifawcsouthafrica2010inhalt_e.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 June 2010 |title=Regulations 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa |publisher=FIFA |year=2010| access-date= 1 December 2011 }}</ref>

===Bracket===
{{trim|{{#section-h:2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage|Bracket}}}}

===Round of 16===
In this round, each group winner (A to H) was paired against the runner-up from another group.
* South American teams again performed strongly in the round of 16, with four teams advancing to the quarter-finals including [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] who defeated fellow South Americans [[Chile national football team|Chile]].
* European teams performed even more strongly in the sense that all matches between a European and a non-European team were won by the European team. In the previous edition (2006), they had also achieved this.
* England's 4–1 loss to Germany was their biggest ever margin of defeat at a World Cup finals.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/10430974.stm |title=England's World Cup exit dominates papers |work=BBC News |date=28 June 2010 |access-date=1 December 2011 |archive-date=17 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417062620/https://www.bbc.com/news/10430974 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-world-cup-jones-20100628,0,2663952.column |title=There's no disputing that England deserved its loss to Germany |work=Los Angeles Times |date=27 June 2010 |first=Grahame L. |last=Jones |access-date=1 December 2011 |archive-date=17 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417062606/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jun-27-la-sp-world-cup-jones-20100628-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It was also the first time that a World Cup finals match between these two traditional rivals had a decisive result in regulation time, their [[England–Germany football rivalry|three previous meetings]] all being tied at 90 minutes, with two settled in extra time and one in a penalty shoot-out.
* Ghana defeated the United States after extra time to become the third African team to reach the last eight (after [[Cameroon national football team|Cameroon]] in [[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990]] and [[Senegal national football team|Senegal]] in [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]]), and the only African team to have achieved both a top 8 finish and a separate top 16 finish (in 2006).
* Paraguay and Ghana reached the quarter-finals for the first time.

The round was marked by some [[List of 2010 FIFA World Cup controversies|controversial referees' decisions]], including:
* A disallowed goal by [[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Germany vs England|England in their 4–1 loss against Germany]], where the shot by [[Frank Lampard]] was seen to cross substantially over the goal line when shown on television broadcast replays.
* An allowed goal by [[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Argentina vs Mexico|Argentina in their 3–1 win over Mexico]], where Argentine striker [[Carlos Tevez]] was seen to be offside when shown on television broadcast replays, which were shown inside the stadium shortly after the incident.

FIFA President [[Sepp Blatter]] took the unusual step of apologising to England and Mexico for the decisions that went against them, saying: "Yesterday I spoke to the two federations directly concerned by referees' mistakes [...] I apologised to England and Mexico. The English said thank you and accepted that you can win some and you lose some and the Mexicans bowed their head and accepted it."<ref name=Blatter_apology>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8771294.stm |title=World Cup 2010: Blatter apologises for disallowed goal |work=BBC Sport |date=29 June 2010 |access-date=29 June 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100629184921/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8771294.stm| archive-date= 29 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> Blatter also promised to re-open the discussion regarding devices which monitor possible goals and make that information immediately available to match officials, saying: "We will naturally take on board the discussion on technology and have the first opportunity in July at the business meeting."<ref name=Blatter_apology/> Blatter's call came less than four months after FIFA general secretary [[Jérôme Valcke]] said the door was closed on [[goal-line technology]] and video replays after a vote by the [[International Football Association Board|IFAB]].<ref name=Blatter_apology/>

{{football box
|date=26 June 2010
|time=16:00
|team1={{fb-rt|URU}}
|score=2–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061504?date=2010-06-26 Report]
|team2={{fb|KOR|1997}}
|goals1=
*[[Luis Suárez|Suárez]] {{goal|8||80}}
|goals2=
*[[Lee Chung-yong]] {{goal|68}}
|stadium=[[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium]], [[Port Elizabeth]]
|attendance=30,597
|referee=[[Wolfgang Stark]] ([[German Football Association|Germany]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=26 June 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|USA}}
|score=1–2
|aet=yes
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061503?date=2010-06-26 Report]
|team2={{fb|GHA}}
|goals1=
*[[Landon Donovan|Donovan]] {{goal|62|pen.}}
|goals2=
*[[Kevin-Prince Boateng|Boateng]] {{goal|5|}}
*[[Asamoah Gyan|Gyan]] {{goal|93|}}
|stadium=[[Royal Bafokeng Stadium]], [[Rustenburg]]
|attendance=34,976
|referee=[[Viktor Kassai]] ([[Hungarian Football Federation|Hungary]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=27 June 2010
|time=16:00
|team1={{fb-rt|GER}}
|score=4–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061501?date=2010-06-27 Report]
|team2={{fb|ENG}}
|goals1=
*[[Miroslav Klose|Klose]] {{goal|20}}
*[[Lukas Podolski|Podolski]] {{goal|32}}
*[[Thomas Müller|Müller]] {{goal|67||70}}
|goals2=
*[[Matthew Upson|Upson]] {{goal|37}}
|stadium=[[Free State Stadium]], [[Bloemfontein]]
|attendance=40,510
|referee=[[Jorge Larrionda]] ([[Uruguayan Football Association|Uruguay]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=27 June 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|ARG|1861}}
|score=3–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061502?date=2010-06-27 Report]
|team2={{fb|MEX}}
|goals1=
*[[Carlos Tevez|Tevez]] {{goal|26||52}}
*[[Gonzalo Higuaín|Higuaín]] {{goal|33}}
|goals2=
*[[Javier Hernández|Hernández]] {{goal|71}}
|stadium=[[Soccer City]], [[Johannesburg]]
|attendance=84,377
|referee=[[Roberto Rosetti]] ([[Italian Football Federation|Italy]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=28 June 2010
|time=16:00
|team1={{fb-rt|NED}}
|score=2–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300111113?date=2010-06-28 Report]
|team2={{fb|SVK}}
|goals1=
*[[Arjen Robben|Robben]] {{goal|18}}
*[[Wesley Sneijder|Sneijder]] {{goal|84}}
|goals2=
*[[Róbert Vittek|Vittek]] {{goal|90+4|pen.}}
|stadium=[[Moses Mabhida Stadium]], [[Durban]]
|attendance=61,962
|referee=[[Alberto Undiano Mallenco]] ([[Royal Spanish Football Federation|Spain]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=28 June 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|BRA}}
|score=3–0
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061500?date=2010-06-28 Report]
|team2={{fb|CHI}}
|goals1=
*[[Juan (footballer, born 1979)|Juan]] {{goal|34}}
*[[Luís Fabiano]] {{goal|38}}
*[[Robinho]] {{goal|59}}
|goals2=
|stadium=[[Ellis Park Stadium]], [[Johannesburg]]
|attendance=54,096
|referee=[[Howard Webb]] ([[The Football Association|England]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=29 June 2010
|time=16:00
|team1={{fb-rt|PAR|1990}}
|score=0–0
|aet=yes
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061497?date=2010-06-29 Report]
|team2={{fb|JPN}}
|goals1=
|goals2=
|stadium=[[Loftus Versfeld Stadium]], [[Pretoria]]
|attendance=36,742
|referee=[[Frank De Bleeckere]] ([[Royal Belgian Football Association|Belgium]])
|penalties1=
*[[Édgar Barreto|Barreto]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Lucas Barrios|Barrios]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Cristian Riveros|Riveros]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Nelson Haedo Valdez|Valdez]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Óscar Cardozo|Cardozo]] {{pengoal}}
|penaltyscore=5–3
|penalties2=
*{{pengoal}} [[Yasuhito Endō|Endō]]
*{{pengoal}} [[Makoto Hasebe|Hasebe]]
*{{penmiss}} [[Yūichi Komano|Komano]]
*{{pengoal}} [[Keisuke Honda|Honda]]
}}
----
{{football box
|date=29 June 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|ESP}}
|score=1–0
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249717/300061498?date=2010-06-29 Report]
|team2={{fb|POR}}
|goals1=
*[[David Villa|Villa]] {{goal|63}}
|goals2=
|stadium=[[Cape Town Stadium]], [[Cape Town]]
|attendance=62,955
|referee=[[Héctor Baldassi]] ([[Argentine Football Association|Argentina]]) }}

===Quarter-finals===
The three quarter-finals between European and South American teams all resulted in wins for Europeans. Germany had a 4–0 victory over Argentina, and the Netherlands came from behind to beat Brazil 2–1, handing the Brazilians their first loss in a World Cup match held outside Europe (other than in a penalty shoot-out) since [[Uruguay v Brazil (1950 FIFA World Cup)|1950]] when Uruguay won the decisive match 2–1.<ref>In the [[1962 FIFA World Cup|1962]], [[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970]], [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]], and [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]] World Cups, Brazil finished as undefeated champions. In the [[1978 FIFA World Cup|1978]] competition, Brazil was eliminated by Argentina on goal difference without losing a match. In the [[1986 World Cup|1986]] competition, Brazil was eliminated in a penalty shoot-out with France, without having lost a match.</ref> Spain reached the final four for the first time since 1950 after a 1–0 win over Paraguay. Uruguay, the only South American team to reach the semi-finals, overcame Ghana in a [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shoot-out]] after a 1–1 draw in which Ghana missed a penalty at the end of extra time after [[Luis Suárez]] controversially handled the ball on the line.

{{football box
|date=2 July 2010
|time=16:00
|team1={{fb-rt|NED}}
|score=2–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249718/300061507?date=2010-07-02 Report]
|team2={{fb|BRA}}
|goals1=
*[[Wesley Sneijder|Sneijder]] {{goal|53||68}}
|goals2=
*[[Robinho]] {{goal|10}}
|stadium=[[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium]], [[Port Elizabeth]]
|attendance=40,186
|referee=[[Yuichi Nishimura]] ([[Japan Football Association|Japan]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=2 July 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|URU}}
|score=1–1
|aet=yes
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249718/300061508?date=2010-07-02 Report]
|team2={{fb|GHA}}
|goals1=
*[[Diego Forlán|Forlán]] {{goal|55}}
|goals2=
*[[Sulley Muntari|Muntari]] {{goal|45+2}}
|stadium=[[Soccer City]], [[Johannesburg]]
|attendance=84,017
|referee=[[Olegário Benquerença]] ([[Portuguese Football Federation|Portugal]])
|penalties1=
*[[Diego Forlán|Forlán]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Mauricio Victorino|Victorino]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Andrés Scotti|Scotti]] {{pengoal}}
*[[Maxi Pereira|M. Pereira]] {{penmiss}}
*[[Sebastián Abreu|Abreu]] {{pengoal}}
|penaltyscore=4–2
|penalties2=
*{{pengoal}} [[Asamoah Gyan|Gyan]]
*{{pengoal}} [[Stephen Appiah|Appiah]]
*{{penmiss}} [[John Mensah|Mensah]]
*{{penmiss}} [[Dominic Adiyiah|Adiyiah]]
}}
----
{{football box
|date=3 July 2010
|time=16:00
|team1={{fb-rt|ARG|1861}}
|score=0–4
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249718/300061505?date=2010-07-03 Report]
|team2={{fb|GER}}
|goals1=
|goals2=
*[[Thomas Müller|Müller]] {{goal|3}}
*[[Miroslav Klose|Klose]] {{goal|68||89}}
*[[Arne Friedrich|Friedrich]] {{goal|74}}
|stadium=[[Cape Town Stadium]], [[Cape Town]]
|attendance=64,100
|referee=[[Ravshan Irmatov]] ([[Uzbekistan Football Federation|Uzbekistan]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=3 July 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|PAR|1990}}
|score=0–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249718/300061506?date=2010-07-03 Report]
|team2={{fb|ESP}}
|goals1=
|goals2=
*[[David Villa|Villa]] {{goal|83}}
|stadium=[[Ellis Park Stadium]], [[Johannesburg]]
|attendance=55,359
|referee=[[Carlos Batres]] ([[Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala|Guatemala]]) }}

===Semi-finals===
The Netherlands qualified for the final for the third time with a 3–2 win over Uruguay. Spain reached their first ever final with a 1–0 victory over Germany. As a result, it was the first World Cup final not to feature at least one of Brazil, Italy, Germany or Argentina.

{{football box
|date=6 July 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|URU}}
|score=2–3
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249719/300061512?date=2010-07-06 Report]
|team2={{fb|NED}}
|goals1=
*[[Diego Forlán|Forlán]] {{goal|41}}
*[[Maxi Pereira|M. Pereira]] {{goal|90+2}}
|goals2=
*[[Giovanni van Bronckhorst|Van Bronckhorst]] {{goal|18}}
*[[Wesley Sneijder|Sneijder]] {{goal|70}}
*[[Arjen Robben|Robben]] {{goal|73}}
|stadium=[[Cape Town Stadium]], [[Cape Town]]
|attendance=62,479
|referee=[[Ravshan Irmatov]] ([[Uzbekistan Football Federation|Uzbekistan]]) }}
----
{{football box
|date=7 July 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|GER}}
|score=0–1
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249719/300111114?date=2010-07-07 Report]
|team2={{fb|ESP}}
|goals1=
|goals2=
*[[Carles Puyol|Puyol]] {{goal|73}}
|stadium=[[Moses Mabhida Stadium]], [[Durban]]
|attendance=60,960
|referee=[[Viktor Kassai]] ([[Hungarian Football Federation|Hungary]]) }}

===Third place play-off===
Germany defeated Uruguay 3–2 to secure third place. Germany holds the record for most third-place finishes in the World Cup (4), while Uruguay holds the record for most fourth-place finishes (3).
{{football box
|date=10 July 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|URU}}
|score=2–3
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249720/300061510?date=2010-07-10 Report]
|team2={{fb|GER}}
|goals1=
*[[Edinson Cavani|Cavani]] {{goal|28}}
*[[Diego Forlán|Forlán]] {{goal|51}}
|goals2=
*[[Thomas Müller|Müller]] {{goal|19}}
*[[Marcell Jansen|Jansen]] {{goal|56}}
*[[Sami Khedira|Khedira]] {{goal|82}}
|stadium=[[Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium]], [[Port Elizabeth]]
|attendance=36,254
|referee=[[Benito Archundia]] ([[Mexican Football Federation|Mexico]])<ref name="referees_63-64">{{cite news|title=Referee designations: matches 63 – 64 |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1270570/index.html |work=FIFA.com |publisher=FIFA |date=8 July 2010 |access-date=8 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100711122423/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid%3D1270570/index.html |archive-date=11 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> }}

===Final===
{{Main|2010 FIFA World Cup final}}
<!-- NOTE:
Please keep in mind that the final match has its own article. For clarity and ease of maintenance, please consider whether further edits beyond summary information belong in that article instead of here. -->

The final was held on 11 July 2010 at [[Soccer City]], [[Johannesburg]]. [[Spain men's national football team|Spain]] defeated the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] 1–0, with an extra time goal from [[Andrés Iniesta]]. Iniesta scored the latest winning goal in a FIFA World Cup final (116th minute).<ref name="FIFA">{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/statistics/news/newsid=1273020/index.html |title=Roja, Oranje provide numbers aplenty |publisher=FIFA |website=FIFA.com |date=12 July 2010 |access-date=18 July 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20100715050838/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/statistics/news/newsid=1273020/index.html |archive-date=15 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The win gave Spain their first World Cup title, becoming the eighth team to win it. This made them the first new winner without home advantage since Brazil in 1958,<ref>Brazil won their first World Cup in Sweden. England, Argentina, and France each won it for the first time on home soil – {{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218142115/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 December 2013 |title=Previous FIFA World Cups |publisher=FIFA| access-date= 1 December 2011 }}</ref> and the first team to win the tournament after having lost their opening game.<ref name="South Africa 2010 in numbers"/>

A large number of fouls were committed in the final match. Referee [[Howard Webb]] handed out 14 yellow cards, more than doubling the previous record for this fixture, set when Argentina and West Germany shared six cards in 1986,<ref name="South Africa 2010 in numbers"/> and [[John Heitinga]] of the Netherlands was sent off for receiving a second yellow card. The Netherlands had chances to score, most notably in the 60th minute when Arjen Robben was released by [[Wesley Sneijder]] to be one-on-one with Spain's goalkeeper [[Iker Casillas]], only for Casillas to save the shot with an outstretched leg. For Spain, [[Sergio Ramos]] missed a free header from a corner kick when he was unmarked.<ref name="bbc_report">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Fletcher |title=Netherlands 0–1 Spain (aet) |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_64/default.stm |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=11 July 2010 |access-date=20 February 2014 |archive-date=10 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810004846/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_64/default.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Iniesta finally broke the deadlock in extra time, scoring a volleyed shot from a pass by [[Cesc Fàbregas]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iXcHDxnCEyTeb4JLg1sf2BGNprDQ|title=Spain beat Holland 1–0 to win World Cup|date=11 July 2010|agency=AFP|access-date=11 July 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100714034940/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iXcHDxnCEyTeb4JLg1sf2BGNprDQ| archive-date= 14 July 2010 | url-status= dead}}</ref>

This result marked the first time that two teams from the same continent had won successive World Cups (following Italy in 2006), and saw Europe reaching 10 World Cup titles, surpassing South America's nine titles. Spain became the first team since West Germany in 1974 to win the World Cup as [[UEFA European Football Championship|European champions]]. The result also marked the first time that a European nation had won a World Cup Finals that was not hosted on European soil.

A closing ceremony was held before the final, featuring singer [[Shakira]]. Afterwards, the former South African President [[Nelson Mandela]] made a brief appearance on the pitch, wheeled in by a motorcart.<ref name="closing"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/africa/10589713.stm|title=Mandela attends World Cup closing ceremony|date=11 July 2010|work=BBC News|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=11 July 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100711185233/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/africa/10589713.stm| archive-date= 11 July 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>

{{football box
|date=11 July 2010
|time=20:30
|team1={{fb-rt|NED}}
|score=0–1
|aet=yes
|report=[https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/249715/249721/300061509?date=2010-07-11 Report]
|team2={{fb|ESP}}
|goals1=
|goals2=
*[[Andrés Iniesta|Iniesta]] {{goal|116}}
|stadium=[[Soccer City]], [[Johannesburg]]
|attendance=84,490
|referee=[[Howard Webb]] ([[The Football Association|England]])<ref name="referees_63-64"/> }}