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The 2010 FIFA World Cup™ made history at the beginning as the first finals hosted in Africa and at the end with Spain becoming just the eighth team to win football’s ultimate prize. In between, the world was exposed to South Africa like never before all the while being treated to one of the most balanced FIFA World Cups in recent memory.

Also a first, both teams from the previous Final failed to advance from the first round, as Italy and France crashed out in dramatic fashion. Fancied Brazil and Argentina were also eliminated earlier than many expected, as Uruguay and three European sides made up the last four. Join FIFA.com for a look at the 32 teams that came together to make South Africa 2010 a pageant of football.

Winners
Spain
The European champions were deserved winners of their first world crown despite losing their first match to Switzerland 1-0. Ironically La Roja won all of their knockout matches by that scoreline to become the first new winners of a FIFA World Cup without home advantage since Brazil lifted their first trophy in 1958.

Runners-up
Netherlands
The Dutch won all six of their matches on the way to the ultimate game, but could not prevent the third FIFA World Cup Final loss in their history. A come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Brazil in the last eight was arguably the highlight for the Oranje.

Third place
Germany
A young German team caught fire in the knock-out rounds, thumping four goals past England and Argentina, but Spain’s juggernaut was too much in the last four. Top scorers for the second straight FIFA World Cup, their future is undoubtedly bright.

Fourth place
Uruguay
La Celeste were the biggest surprise package of South Africa, reaching a first semi-final since 1970. But the form of strikers Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez would have been enough to send any side far in the tournament.

Quarter-finalists
Argentina
Victorious in their first four matches, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Co ran into a German buzz saw in the last eight, with all of their frailties exposed in a 4-0 defeat.
Brazil
Everything was going according to plan for the five-time champions, but a second-half collapse against the Netherlands cost Dunga his job and left the 2014 hosts questioning themselves after consecutive last-eight exits.
Ghana
The Black Stars were Asamoah Gyan’s last-kick penalty miss away from becoming the first African side to reach the semi-finals. But the youngest team at the tournament are well placed for further success.
Paraguay
Decidedly difficult to beat, Paraguay topped their group and gave up just two goals in the tournament – to Italy and Spain. The latter knocked out Gerardo Martino’s side but not before they had advanced further than ever before.

Round of 16
Chile
One of the most open and attack-minded teams in the tournament, Marcelo Bielsa’s men ended a 48-year wait for a FIFA World Cup win but a match-up with Brazil was too much as they fell 3-0 in the second round.
England
An early goal in the much-anticipated match with the US augured well, but England never built on that and suffered their worst finals loss in history, a 4-1 dismantling by old enemies Germany.
Japan
A penalty shoot-out defeat at the hands of Paraguay was a hard end for a team that had achieved their first two World Cup wins on foreign soil, finishing second in their group behind the rampaging Dutch.
Korea Republic
They recovered from a 4-1 loss to Argentina to reach the second round for the first time beyond their own shores, but once there, they could not overcome Uruguay and a rampant Luis Suarez.
Mexico
An exciting team going forward, El Tri advanced to the second round for the fifth consecutive time, but as in 2006, a powerful Argentina proved their undoing.
Portugal
The Portuguese scored seven goals, all of which came against Korea DPR, but a single goal by Iberian rivals Spain was enough to break Cristiano Ronaldo and Co’s 19-match unbeaten streak.
Slovakia
Despite being knocked out by the Netherlands, Slovakia will always remember their first finals as an independent nation for the exciting 3-2 win over holders Italy that propelled them into the Round of 16.
USA
Comeback kings in South Africa, the US fought back to draw against England and Slovenia before topping Group C with a last-gasp winner against Algeria. Resilient Ghana were one step too far in the last 16 as the Americans fell after extra time.

Group stage
Algeria
Les Fennecs lost to Slovenia and the US on late goals, and in between they drew with England, but their failure to find a single goal was disappointing.
Australia
A draw with Ghana and a defeat of Serbia put Australia remarkably close to advancing from Group D considering they had to deal with suspensions to Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell and an opening 4-0 loss to Germany.
Cameroon
The Indomitable Lions failed to roar at the FIFA World Cup once again as they became the first team eliminated from the finals and went home with no points.
Côte d’Ivoire
Largely considered Africa’s most talented team, they could not get through a difficult group, despite the inspiring presence of Didier Drogba, playing with his arm in a cast.
Denmark
The Danes were always working uphill after an unlucky own goal against the Netherlands, but with a straightforward task in their last group match – beat Japan to advance – they lost disappointingly 3-1.
France
Finalists four years before, France’s fall was dramatic as Les Bleus scored just a single goal while winning one point and suffering through a player revolt that left the team’s future fractured.
Greece
Greece scored a goal and won a match at the finals for the first time, but a 2-1 defeat of Nigeria was not enough for them to end the Otto Rehhagel era on a high by escaping the group stage.
Honduras
Only a scoreless draw with Switzerland to close the group kept Honduras from going home pointless, and the Central Americans did not find the goal once in a lacklustre campaign.
Italy
The deposed champions fell at the first hurdle for the first time since 1974 after failing to win a single match. Marcello Lippi’s men were a shadow of their 2006 selves, losing to Slovakia 3-2 in their decisive Group F encounter.
Korea DPR
A mystery team going in, the Koreans showed solidity in a narrow defeat by Brazil, but then collapsed against Portugal, conceding six in the second half of a tournament-high 7-0 loss.
New Zealand
Definite outsiders to start, the All Whites went home unbeaten from their first finals since 1982, proud to have claimed three draws to finish above holders Italy in Group F.
Nigeria
One point from Group B was a cruel fate for the Super Eagles, who lost a lead against Greece after a red card and were unlucky to draw with Korea Republic in their final contest when a win would have seen them through.
Serbia
One of the favoured dark horses coming into the event, Serbia did the hard work of beating Germany but losses to Ghana and Australia ensured Radomir Antic’s men headed for home as one of the bigger disappointments.
Slovenia
The nearly men can only lament the loss of a two-goal lead against USA when victory would have qualified them for the last 16 with a game to spare – and USA’s last-minute winner against Algeria that sent them home.
South Africa
Despite becoming the first host nation to fail to advance out of the group stage, Bafana Bafana will take some pride from a marvellous goal to open the tournament and a victory over former world champions France.
Switzerland
Ottmar Hitzfeld had Switzerland ready to go in South Africa, but a famous 1-0 win over Spain to open the event came to naught after they failed to score again.

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Striker David Villa says Spain will need to stifle the Netherlands’ attack if they are going to lift the FIFA World Cup™ on Sunday after reaching their first final.

With five goals to his name, Villa has a chance of winning the adidas Golden Boot if he can score in the final at Soccer City, but Barcelona’s latest signing says Spain must first stop the Dutch getting the ball. Having starved Germany of possession to dominate Wednesday’s semi-final and secure a 1-0 win in Durban, Villa says Spain will need to be just as good technically against Bert van Marwijk’s Dutch.

“In the semi-final, Germany wanted to have the ball and play with their own weapons, but we took possession and forced them into defence,” said Villa. “We forced them to go backwards. We expect the Dutch to want to have the ball, they like to play and they will want to attack. We want to make it hard for them to get the ball. If we do what we managed to do against Germany, it will go a long way to victory.”

We are feeling very comfortable with the way we are playing, and we are creating plenty of opportunities.

Spain’s Xavi

Midfielder Xavi agreed that while football fans are eager to see whether Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder can match Spain’s attack in a potential goal bonanza, possession could well decide the winners. “I don’t think the war will be fought in midfield,” said the Barcelona playmaker. “Whoever has the most possession will probably win the match. We have to make sure we get as much of the ball as we can. But the Dutch are very good at holding possession and we have to contend with that.”

Having failed to win by more than a single goal in any of their FIFA World Cup matches to date, Xavi admits the final would be the ideal time for Spain to find their scoring touch. “It is clear we have not scored many goals,” said the 30-year-old. ” Usually when you do that, you tend to get goals. But we are not converting the chances to our normal percentage. Let’s see if we can lift that because it will be particularly important tomorrow.”

Liverpool’s Fernando Torres was axed for the semi-final and his replacement, Barcelona’s 22-year-old Pedro Rodriguez, did well enough in Durban to give Vicente Del Bosque a selection headache. The Spanish coach will need to decide who will partner Villa up front, but the Barcelona new boy has no preference.

“It would be a great honour to play with either of them,” said Villa. “They are both spectacular players who would help me to do my work around the pitch. But the beauty of our squad is that we have so many people like that. It is a pleasure to play with them all, so I will just leave it for the coach to decide.”

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The eyes of the world will focus on a highly-tendered plot of grass at Johannesburg’s Soccer City when the Netherlands meet Spain in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final™. To ensure the grand finale of world football’s greatest event takes place on the best possible playing surface, a hard-toiling and dedicated team have been working around the clock over recent months.

Thanks to the efforts of head groundsman Juane Klingbiel and his colleagues, the pitch is in immaculate condition and the players will have little cause for complaint about their working conditions when they take the field in front of a massive global television audience. With the stadium inaugurated only in May, the pitch is still very much in its infancy with the Final the eighth match of the tournament held at the 84,490-capacity venue – the largest stadium on the continent when operating at full capacity.

So how has the most utilised venue at South Africa 2010 held up over the last month? “Brilliant,” says Klingbiel unequivocally. “I think it is one of the best pitches I have ever seen. Ball roll, firmness and everything is excellent and I’m very happy. It’s even better than (I could have hoped for the Final). The feedback from all the teams has been brilliant and I’m going to sleep each night with a smile.”

Built on the site of the previous national stadium, which was built in the mid-1980s, the venue in its previous incarnation was widely regarded as the heartbeat of South African football having hosted many important matches, most notably Bafana Bafana‘s landmark CAF Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 1996. With the construction funded through the football fraternity’s coffers, the venue also hosted the first mass rally of Nelson Mandela after his release from prison in 1990. Soccer City is also set to host concerts, Rugby internationals and of course, matches featuring iconic Johannesburg clubs Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.

To see the pitch develop and the stadium develop has been an amazing trip. I’m very proud

Juane Klingbiel, Soccer City head groundsman

The distinctive new stadium is undoubtedly among the elite venues in world sport and its completion and successful opening is an achievement of which all South Africans are rightly proud. Located in the football heartland of Soweto, the stadium is designed in the form of a calabash or African pot. Otherwise known as the ‘melting pot of cultures’, the colourful design is suggestive of a pot being fired, hence it is also named the ’pit of fire’.

“We started doing the pitch construction while the construction of the stadium took place. To see the pitch develop and the stadium develop has been an amazing trip. I’m very proud (of the stadium). The guys have outdone themselves putting this together. I haven’t seen anything like this ever. Just to be saying this is South Africa 2010, and I’m the guy working on the pitch… what an experience, it’s amazing.

“The atmosphere and the whole vibe the World Cup has created has been great. It has been a great influence on South Africa, and I think people have enjoyed the event and we have passed all the tests so I think everyone is very happy. Seeing the Final ending will be a highlight just to get through everything OK. Also at the first game, with the opening ceremony, I thought to myself, ‘South Africa is really going to pull this off’ and that was a particular highlight for me.

“I’m chuffed at myself and with my team, and without these guys we wouldn’t have done it. Every match when we see the players run out, the people are happy, the vuvuzelas are playing and everyone is going mad. We can give ourselves a quiet pat on the back and say we have done a good job.”

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Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque pleaded with his team to keep their feet on the ground ahead of Sunday’s FIFA World Cup™ Final against the Netherlands as eve Dutch legend Johan Cruyff backed the European champions to triumph.

Del Bosque, whose team reached their first FIFA World Cup Final thanks to a 1-0 semi-final win over three-time champions Germany, is wary of complacency having seen his side lose their opening group game in South Africa to Switzerland. “Of course we must celebrate this victory [over Germany] but we will do so with moderation. We will not be blinded by success. We will enjoy this and then start preparing for the Final,” stressed the former Real Madrid coach.

“There is nothing more difficult or precious than to win a World Cup. But we still have to play the Final. We cannot start bragging or get too conceited yet. The triumph is even bigger because of the size of the opponent. You could say Germany were less strong than expected but that was because our team did a great job. The bottom line is we played better than they expected.”

Former Dutch great Cruyff has tipped Spain to win and join Brazil (five times), Italy (four), Germany (three), Argentina, Uruguay (two each), England and France as FIFA World Cup winners. “Spain is now the great favourite. Del Bosque’s team has grown in strength and finds itself in the Final at the top of its game. Germany played football which would have been enough to beat any team, but not Spain,” said Cruyff, who played in the 1974 Final.

There is nothing more difficult or precious than to win a World Cup.

Vicente del Bosque, Spain coach

Like Spain, the Netherlands are still without a FIFA World Cup title. They reached both the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cup Finals, losing to West Germany and Argentina respectively, but coach Bert van Marwijk says his side are ready to go a step further.

“We will play for the whole of Holland,” said van Marwijk. “I do not think in terms of revenge [for those defeats]. I will watch the game without thinking about historical statistics. We haven’t experienced winning a Final and neither have Spain. Spain deserved to beat Germany, I like the way they played, we will play our way against them. We respect them, but we are not afraid of them.”

Spain and Netherlands have been competing in the FIFA World Cup since 1934 but have never met. Pre-tournament favourites after only two losses in two years – against the Swiss and USA in a 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final – Spain will retain that status. But the Dutch boast an even better record than Spain at this tournament, winning all six games. They reached the final with a 3-2 victory over tournament surprise packets Uruguay in a Cape Town clash settled by goals from Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben within four second-half minutes.

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Germany’s largely young 2010 FIFA World Cup™ squad can get over their 1-0 semi-final defeat by European champions Spain and emulate their success in the future, captain Philipp Lahm said on Thursday.

The 26-year-old, who has been an inspirational captain in the absence of the injured Michael Ballack, added that one day he expected he would be holding a trophy aloft and assuaging the pain of being part of teams that had lost two successive World Cup semi-finals and the Euro 2008 final – 1-0 to Spain.

“I am a little surprised by the margins of victory against England (4-1) and Argentina (4-0),” said the 71-times capped Bayern Munich fullback. “But I have been training with these guys for a long time, and I knew what they were capable of. We were able to believe in our future. Spain proved that there is always room for improvement. Three to four weeks ago, they had the same players, and then they gained in confidence. We too can do similar things.”

One day, I am convinced that we will be up there with the best. And then also to lose a semi-final is not a mark of dishonour, that doesn’t happen every day either.

Lahm on the semi-final defeat

Lahm, who repeated that he would not voluntarily hand back the captaincy to 33-year-old Ballack and would do so only if the coach instructed him to, admitted the defeat had been tough - he was reduced to floods of tears at the final whistle - but the Germans had still achieved more than other European heavyweights.

“I am 26 and therefore I have some years of football at this level in front of me,” said Lahm. “There will be other semi-finals. But it is true, it will never be easy to think back on [the defeat]. But thereagain look, Italy and France were knocked out really quickly. One day, I am convinced that we will be up there with the best. And then also to lose a semi-final is not a mark of dishonour, that doesn’t happen every day either.”

He also revealed that the Germans had declined an offer of a ‘victory’ parade back in Berlin when they return unlike those that happened after the 2006 semi-final loss at home and the Euro 2008 final defeat. Lahm, who says he has changed his mind and would play in the third place match with Uruguay in Port Elizabeth on Saturday if he has recovered from a knock, said he saw Wednesday’s victors Spain adding the world title to their European crown. “I see Spain winning it,” he said. “But if not I will be happy to see my clubmates [Mark van Bommel and Arjen Robben] return to Bayern with the trophy. The trophy would give us a ‘boost’ at Bayern.”

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Xabi Alonso believes England offer the perfect proof that Spain should take nothing for granted in the FIFA World Cup™ Final on Sunday. The UEFA EURO 2008 winners will start as favourites against the Netherlands at Soccer City this weekend following their semi-final win over Germany.

Yet Alonso is astute enough to know the favourites tag counts for nothing. After all, England were tipped to beat the United States and Algeria and top their group. To their chagrin, they managed none of it. “England had a very tough game and the expectations were very high,” said Alonso. “One bad game and you are out. That is how it works in the World Cup and that should be a warning to us on Sunday.”

With Fernando Torres on the bench and Jose Reina consigned to his role as understudy to Iker Casillas, Alonso was the nearest thing to a Premier League player in the Spain starting line-up against Germany. Alonso spent five years working with Rafael Benitez at Liverpool before switching to Real Madrid last summer.

Alonso has nothing but happy memories from his time on Merseyside, although it is clear the midfield star has now moved on. “I don’t know if I am playing better than I did when I was at Liverpool,” he said. “I really enjoyed my five years there but now I am in Spain with Real Madrid. I feel as if I am in a good moment so I don’t really think about my form.”

One bad game and you are out. That is how it works in the World Cup and that should be a warning to us on Sunday.

Xabi Alonso, Spain midfielder

Alonso might not attract the same attention as midfield colleagues Xavi and Andres Iniesta, around whom so much of Spain’s fabulous passing game is based. However, his job operating slightly further back is just as important. His reading of a game is on a par with anyone in the world and his natural ability to retain possession in the tightest of situations fits in perfectly with Spain’s game plan.

“It is a privilege to be among this group of players,” he said. “There is so much quality. I have always tried to give my best so I never worried that I would not find a way into the side. We have great competition and that is good for the team because it brings the best out of everyone.

“Whenever you are playing you have to be ready and whenever you are on the bench you have to believe you will come on. You have to support your team-mate because that is part of football. There is a good atmosphere in the team and so far things are going smoothly. We are enjoying this tournament and want to do something massive for the whole country.”

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The match stats from Germany’s 2010 FIFA World Cup™ quarter-final victory over Argentina confirmed Bastian Schweinsteiger’s emergence as the pivotal figure in the three-time world champions’ exciting young team. The midfielder played the most passes and covered the greatest distance of all the players on display, and he was also named Budweiser Man of the Match.

Schweinsteiger has blossomed on South African soil, imposing his authority on the centre of the park and orchestrating his team’s play in truly impressive fashion. The player is now determined to maintain his stellar form in the semi-finals, a replay of the UEFA EURO 2008 title decider against Spain, and lead his men through to the Final in Johannesburg. On the eve of the eagerly-awaited showdown, FIFA.com spoke to Schweinsteiger about Wednesday’s clash in Durban, his new role in central midfield, and the mood in the Germany camp.

FIFA.com: Germany comprehensively outplayed both England and Argentina, and can now claim to be one of the four best teams in the world. What’s the mood in the German camp right now?
Bastian Schweinsteiger: As you’d expect, it’s excellent at the moment, and we’re all looking forward to the semi-final.

How would you assess the way this team, Germany’s youngest at the FIFA World Cup in 76 years, has developed?
We’re carefree and bursting with flair. But we also have players who know how to calm things down and keep the ball under control. We keep playing the way we like to play right through to the last minute. We’re not satisfied just because we might be 2-0 or 3-0 up. We keep moving forward and look to get our shots away. Mind you, I don’t think anyone expected it to go quite as well as it has. In terms of footballing quality, this is the best Germany team I’ve ever played in.

I think the victories over England and also Ghana gave us a great deal of confidence. We went into the Ghana game knowing that if we lost, we were out. We played well against Australia, but our organisation wasn’t that good at times. We were much more disciplined and compact against England, and up front, we have players who are putting away their chances.

I think we’ve changed a lot since 2008. We play completely different football, but Spain have stayed practically the same. They’ve maybe not played the fantastic stuff people were expecting from them here, but they’re winning their matches.

Schweinsteiger on the semi-final

What role has Joachim Low played so far?
The coach is the undisputed boss. He and his team have prepared us superbly for every game. For example, against Argentina, we knew we could only let them play their passes up to a certain point. From there on, we were aggressive, we went looking for the ball, and then passed as quickly as possible to our front men. These tactics have brought us tremendous success twice now.

You played the whole of the 1-0 defeat to Spain in the EURO 2008 final. How do you feel abut the chance for revenge?
It obviously goes through your mind. Spain were much better than us back then, we can have no complaints. We had the chance to win a trophy, so you’re doubly angry when you’ve missed that chance. We weren’t at 100 per cent in that match, but now we have to focus on winning, knowing it would take us into the World Cup Final. Every player needs to take that to heart. It should be obvious to everyone watching that every single player wants a place in the Final.

How can you stop Spain’s world-class attacking unit, with the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and David Villa?
I think we’ve changed a lot since 2008. We play completely different football, but Spain have stayed practically the same. They’ve maybe not played the fantastic stuff people were expecting from them here, but they’re winning their matches. Great teams win even when they’re not playing well. That’s what makes Spain so dangerous.

We’re up against the best team in the world, in my opinion. But even the Spanish have weaknesses, and that’s what we have to exploit. We’ve beaten England and Argentina, and if every one of us is 100 per cent up for it, we can beat Spain too.

A wave of euphoria has swept the Germany team, and the German nation too. But you’ve won nothing yet…
Actually, I think we have won something already, which is admiration and sympathy in Germany. My goal has always been to please the fans at home, and especially the people at fan festivals. The pictures we’re seeing are unbelievable. But obviously you’re right, we’ve won nothing at all in sporting terms.

The team has come on enormously, but so have you personally. You were a wide attacking player, but now you’re a holding midfield strategist. Are you pleased about that?
I hadn’t expected it to go quite as well as this, but I always knew this was my best position. Maybe I could have made the switch two or three years ago, but there were a lot of good players ahead of me in the position at Bayern, Owen Hargreaves or Jens Jeremies for example.

The fans and the pundits reckon your performance against Argentina was your best ever. Do you agree?
I can only play well if the team plays well. That’s the most important thing to me. As for me personally, I’ve never given a perfect performance. There were situations against Argentina where I could have done better. And I’ve done well in internationals before, at the World Cup in 2006 against Portugal for one. I’m always trying for the perfect performance. That’s what motivates me. And my goal is to win trophies. That’s why I refuse to be satisfied with what we’ve achieved so far, and why I want to beat Spain. You don’t come this close to trophies very often. We have a chance, but I have enormous respect for Spain.

The loss of captain Michael Ballack to injury was a massive blow in the build-up to the FIFA World Cup, but you don’t appear to miss him now…
On the one hand, it’s a desperate shame he’s injured, especially because he has so much experience. We could have done with that here at the World Cup. But on the other hand, it’s obviously terrific to see the other players do well in his absence. Michael Ballack will be back, and I think he’ll make us even stronger, simply because of his experience.

In a recent interview, you revealed you actually have Dutch roots: your great-grandfather was from the Netherlands. Are you fond of the Oranje?
Yes, but that’s always been the case. I was a big fan of Marco van Basten. The Netherlands is only a small country, but they keep producing great players. I see it every day at Bayern. They’re aiming at perfection, and they reflect a lot on situations which arise in matches, which I like and appreciate. The Dutch have two Bayern players here at the World Cup, Mark [van Bommel] and Arjen [Robben]. Obviously, I’m hoping they make it to the Final, and hopefully we’ll have the dream pairing of Germany against Holland. I’d really like that and it would be wonderful, but we have a very tough task first with Spain.

Have you been in touch with your Dutch club-mates?
We’ve been in contact throughout the World Cup. After their brilliant trick corner routine against Brazil (Editor’s note: Robben gave the ball a slight prod and jogged away, pretending not to have taken the corner. But Dani Alves spotted the ruse and beat Van Bommel to the ball), I texted them my congratulations, because they’re always talking about it at Bayern. I thought it was hilarious, and I told them so.

A slightly odd question to round things off: Paul the octopus, a resident of the Sea Life aquatic park in Oberhausen, has been predicting the results of Germany’s games at the FIFA World Cup. Confronted with two glasses containing the national flags of the countries concerned, he picks food out of the one he foresees as the winners. And he’s been right for all five of your matches so far…
Yes, we’ve been following the octopus here in South Africa. I personally think it’s really amusing. I hope he gets it right and chooses us again this time.