# 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 10, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677 "2010-06-10T17:32:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 130
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2581 "2010-07-11T22:12:14Z")
Oh, and kudos to me for my successful campaign to get Diego Forlan the Golden Ball. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2582 "2010-07-11T22:22:11Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > A big round of applause to both teams. Yeah, it was ugly, and very chippy, but it wasnā€™t dirty (except for de Jongā€™s flying kick, which should have been an automatic red). Van Bommel is one of the biggest hacks on the planet. He was very cynical all game and I think shouldā€™ve been sent off for a tackle on Iniesta (I think). Also, for persistent infringement. Spain was the best team of the tournament, and is really gorgeous when theyā€™re on, and not being hacked to pieces (or diving over the whole field). I just donā€™t think any of that was on display today. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2583 "2010-07-11T22:35:33Z")
Iniesta was very lucky not to get sent off himself for retaliating after Van Bommel fouled him. Early in the second half, I think. The ref was looking the other way, but it was a red card for certain if heā€™d seen it. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2584 "2010-07-11T22:37:55Z")
Hats off to Spain. I never expect them to win anything, but they were clearly the most deserving team, not only tonight but over the course of the tournament. For all the criticisms of this World Cup - and boy, are most of them valid - it ended the way itā€™s supposed to end: with the worldā€™s best national team lifting the trophy. Brilliant atmosphere in the pub tonight and in Dublin city centre, with all the Spanish people living/studying here. Normally they sort of annoy me (nice people, but they _never_ get out of your way :)) but tonight Iā€™m delighted for them. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2585 "2010-07-11T22:40:43Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Iniesta was very lucky not to get sent off himself for retaliating after Van Bommel fouled him. Early in the second half, I think. The ref was looking the other way, but it was a red card for certain if heā€™d seen it. Oh, I donā€™t think thatā€™s a red. He gave him a little hip check. Yellow for sure. Then probably two more for diving and one for taking his shirt off. Iā€™ve really come around to instant replay from this WC. Not even stopping the match, but have the 4th official look at video and tell the head ref through a radio. Bam, just fixed like 90% of shitty calls without slowing the game. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2586 "2010-07-11T22:47:35Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Iniesta was very lucky not to get sent off himself for retaliating after Van Bommel fouled him. Early in the second half, I think. The ref was looking the other way, but it was a red card for certain if heā€™d seen it. I thought that when i saw it happen, but the replay suggested that Van Bommel milked it for all it was worth. The hip check didnā€™t look as bad to me when i saw it for a second time. Initially, i thought it was an elbow to the face. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Punkyova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@The\_Punkyova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Punkyova)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2587 "2010-07-11T23:00:31Z")
Iā€™ve only commented a few times, but I want to thank all the knowlegable commenters, and the pointers to blogs and other websites. This was fun! ---
**Author:** ![carm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@carm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carm)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2588 "2010-07-11T23:04:34Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Iniesta was very lucky not to get sent off himself for retaliating after Van Bommel fouled him. Early in the second half, I think. The ref was looking the other way, but it was a red card for certain if heā€™d seen it. No that was never a red card. Possibly a yellow, would have been harsh though in my opinion. Van Bommel made it look way worse than it actually was. Also, Van Bommel is scum. Absolute scum. How he didnā€™t get sent off this tournament I have no idea - even after being booked today he had at least two more fouls that warranted yellows (one should have been a penalty), plus he stamped on Iniestaā€™s foot, which is why Iniesta reacted the way he did. De Jong should have been sent off. Robben should have been sent off for kicking the ball away near the end when he was already on a yellow. (I hate seeing players booked for this kind of crap, but in Robbenā€™s case heā€™s such a sly snivelling little weasel that I would have been overjoyed!) Heitinga deserved to go, could have been sent off earlier. All in all, this Dutch team are a disgrace to football, and I am DELIGHTED that Spain won. Skill and courage beat gamesmanship and intimidation, and that is something to celebrate. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2589 "2010-07-11T23:16:24Z")
And Thomas Mueller gets the Golden Boot as well as Young Player of the Tournamentā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2590 "2010-07-12T00:29:05Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Maybe you donā€™t see enough football? > > Believe me, the amount of deliberate handballs as opposed to making a vain attempt to get to it legally is small enough to be insignificant. Thatā€™s exactly why there has been such outrage over this incident. But how often do those opportunities happen in stoppage time at the end of the game? Of course they donā€™t use their hand to stop those balls in most of those situations because a taking a red card in order take your chances on stopping a penalty is pretty stupid. I guarantee you that if this situation was common (needing a hand ball to save a sure goal seconds from the end of a knockout tournament game), using the hand would be **very** common. > [@amanset](#): > > Your mistake is to extend how people act in American sports to the rest of the world. It doesnā€™t work that way. To ā€œtake one for the teamā€ like this is not seen as in any way honourable. Sure. :rolleyes: It has nothing to so with being American. Nor honor. Itā€™s about whether the penalty is worth the risk. A red card and PK is a very small penalty to pay in this particular situation. And if this situation was common, then so would handball. Oh, congrats Spain. Deserving champions. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2591 "2010-07-12T01:06:11Z")
> [@carm](#): > > No that was never a red card. Possibly a yellow, would have been harsh though in my opinion. Van Bommel made it look way worse than it actually was. > Also, Van Bommel is scum. Absolute scum. How he didnā€™t get sent off this tournament I have no idea - even after being booked today he had at least two more fouls that warranted yellows (one should have been a penalty), plus he stamped on Iniestaā€™s foot, which is why Iniesta reacted the way he did. De Jong should have been sent off. Robben should have been sent off for kicking the ball away near the end when he was already on a yellow. (I hate seeing players booked for this kind of crap, but in Robbenā€™s case heā€™s such a sly snivelling little weasel that I would have been overjoyed!) Heitinga deserved to go, could have been sent off earlier. All in all, this Dutch team are a disgrace to football, and I am DELIGHTED that Spain won. Skill and courage beat gamesmanship and intimidation, and that is something to celebrate. This is why I enjoyed the Germany Spain game so much more - pure football. What a relief that Spain won, and Iā€™m sorry they did themselves resort to some dodgy behaviour. The ref had his hands full, Spain deserved the cup and they got it. I really thought thereā€™d be more more goals, but one turned out to be enough and a great one too. ---
**Author:** ![nani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58956e/32.png) [@nani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nani)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2592 "2010-07-12T01:10:45Z")
Is it just me, or does Robben look like Patrick Stewart? The third-place game was a lot more fun to watch. I can understand, the players are so freaked out in the final to not be the goat that they are going to play super defensively. Congratulations to Spain! My Asturian ancestors are surely happy about this. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2593 "2010-07-12T01:19:28Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > There was a detail about the goal that I loved. > > As soon as he saw the ball had gone in, Iniesta took his shirt off: this is an automatic yellow AFAIK (he did get one and since nobody explained why, I assume that my info on this is correct), so I though ā€œwhat the fuck are you doing that for?ā€ > > Turns out it was to dedicate the goal to Dani Jarque, another young player who died sudden and unexpectedly about a year ago. His undershirt had the dedication on it. What a gesture. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2594 "2010-07-12T01:29:41Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Believe me, the amount of deliberate handballs as opposed to making a vain attempt to get to it legally is small enough to be insignificant. Thatā€™s exactly why there has been such outrage over this incident. > > Your mistake is to extend how people act in American sports to the rest of the world. It doesnā€™t work that way. To ā€œtake one for the teamā€ like this is not seen as in any way honourable. The only other time Iā€™ve seen a player have the same opportunity at the very end of a match was during the 1994 Coca Cola Cup Final. Manchester United were already down 2-1, and in the 90th minute Andrei Kanchelskis found himself standing on the goal line during a corner sequence with a Villa shot coming at him and the goalie too far away to get to it. Guess what he did? Handballed. Straight red, off he goes, Villa converts the penalty anyway and wins 3-1. Any player with the opportunity to save his side from being knocked out of the World Cup in injury time like that would do the same thing Suarez did. Itā€™s not the same when it happens in the 56th minute. ---
**Author:** ![carm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@carm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carm)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2595 "2010-07-12T01:42:09Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > The only other time Iā€™ve seen a player have the same opportunity at the very end of a match was during the 1994 Coca Cola Cup Final. Manchester United were already down 2-1, and in the 90th minute Andrei Kanchelskis found himself standing on the goal line during a corner sequence with a Villa shot coming at him and the goalie too far away to get to it. > > Guess what he did? Handballed. Straight red, off he goes, Villa converts the penalty anyway and wins 3-1. > > Any player with the opportunity to save his side from being knocked out of the World Cup in injury time like that would do the same thing Suarez did. Itā€™s not the same when it happens in the 56th minute. I remember this game - Ron Atkinsonā€™s greatest triumph! ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2596 "2010-07-12T02:15:36Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > There was a detail about the goal that I loved. > > As soon as he saw the ball had gone in, Iniesta took his shirt off: this is an automatic yellow AFAIK (he did get one and since nobody explained why, I assume that my info on this is correct), so I though ā€œwhat the fuck are you doing that for?ā€ > > Turns out it was to dedicate the goal to Dani Jarque, another young player who died sudden and unexpectedly about a year ago. His undershirt had the dedication on it. I feel bad now. I was thinking what a glory hound putz he was to risk a future red card. That changes everything. Was it a Dutch player who took off his medal right after he got it? Iā€™d like to reassign my putz award. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2597 "2010-07-12T02:23:45Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Too bad what I posted wasnā€™t an exaggeration. At all. Couldnā€™t find the bathroom in time so you dropped in on this thread? :dubious: May your next sporting event be met with a dead battery and a parking lot full of opposing fans. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2598 "2010-07-12T02:42:03Z")
So now that the tournament is over, which was the best goal? The ones that come to mind: URU v. NED - Van Bronckhorst hits the post from the edge of the area. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F33O4n08bX8) ARG v. Mexico - Tevezā€™s second goal (not the offside one). [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy3LuJwCwmM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy3LuJwCwmM) (skip to 1:59) Iā€™m sure Iā€™m forgetting a couple. Maiconā€™s strike against N. Korea doesnā€™t look as impressive as I remember at the time. Maybe (as much as I hate to admit it) Donovonā€™s goal v. Slovenia? ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2599 "2010-07-12T02:46:36Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Was it a Dutch player who took off his medal right after he got it? Iā€™d like to reassign my putz award. Taking off the second place medal immediately is a long tradition. I canā€™t remember ever NOT seeing a losing player take it off with self-disgust. Anyway, I think it was the Dutch coach who they showed taking it off. ---
**Author:** ![carm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@carm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carm)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2600 "2010-07-12T03:25:31Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > So now that the tournament is over, which was the best goal? Van Bronckhorstā€™s goal gets my vote. Best strike Iā€™ve seen in years (possibly ever) and the fact that it was in the semi final just makes it all the more special. For example, Villaā€™s [goal](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wYSDBD5B5M) where he beat two or three defenders and hit it into the top corner would have been a lot more impressive were it not against Honduras. Tchabalalaā€™s goal from the first game was pretty good too. And some of the Brazil goals - Luis Fabianoā€™s two against Ivory Coast were pretty sweet, even if he did handle the ball clearly for the second. ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/f7Pjjz74pt0/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/f7Pjjz74pt0?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque Tbh though, I think Maiconā€™s goal get better every time you see it; I definitely think he meant it - he hits the ball with the outside of his right foot, so the ball would curl towards the goal, rather than towards the onrushing strikers. A brilliant finish. ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zKcY8OPM6uk/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/zKcY8OPM6uk?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque Some other good goals were Suarez vs S Korea, Podolski vs England (nice team move), Endoā€™s free kick for Japan vs (??) and Rommedahl vs Cameroon. . . Tons of other ones too, cant think of them now though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677.md?page=129) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677.md?page=131)