The 2010 World Cup is 10 years old. A decade ago on Thursday, South Africa began staging the first World Cup on African soil. Siphiwe Tshabalala's unforgettable opening goal for the host nation against Mexico was bookended by an Andres Iniesta strike in extra time that gave Spain its first world title, and in between a tournament unfolded that featured controversy, viral moments and some events with long-lasting legacies.
A decade later, we sought to look back on some of those key moments and themes that developed at South Africa's 2010 World Cup with a long-tail perspective. Read all of our pieces in the series (plus a bonus rewind of our story on Landon Donovan's famous goal vs.