TOURNAMENT LEGACY

Spain claimed their first World Cup title, defeating the Netherlands 1-0 in extra time with a goal from Andrés Iniesta in the final. This was the first World Cup held in Africa, marking a historic milestone for the continent. The tournament featured the introduction of the vuvuzela, a loud horn that became a defining sound of the event. Key moments included Uruguay's Luis Suárez handball on the goal line to deny Ghana a winning goal in the quarter-finals (Ghana missed the subsequent penalty), Germany's 4-0 thrashing of Argentina in the quarter-finals, and Spain's possession-based style dominating matches. The Golden Ball was awarded to Diego Forlán (Uruguay), while Thomas Müller (Germany) won the Golden Boot with 5 goals and the Best Young Player award. The format remained 32 teams with 8 groups followed by a knockout stage. The mascot was 'Zakumi', a green-haired leopard wearing a South Africa jersey with the number 10.