Siphiwe Tshabalala (C) of South Africa celebrates scoring the first goal with team mates during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group A match between South Africa and Mexico at Soccer City Stadium on June 11, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Clive Mason).
Ten years to the day since the goal that changed his life, Siphiwe Tshabalala said his 2010 FIFA World Cup thunderbolt was “ a beautiful story about a young boy from the dusty streets of Soweto, who always dreamt of playing on the big stage, and whose dreams came true”.
Tshabalala’s goal was watched by hundreds of millions of people in every corner of the world, and jolted Africa’s first FIFA World Cup into life.
11 June 2010 is a date many South Africans will never forget as it marked the start of the Fifa World Cup.
While Spain walked away with the Jules Rimet trophy following a 1-0 win over the Netherlands, it would be the name Siphiwe Tshabalala that made an undeniable mark as his opening goal against Mexico kicked off a month of entertaining football action.
Reflecting on the opening game of the World Cup, Tshabalala admits he was “nervous, like any other game”.
“I was really touched and inspired by the crowd and the support as well and I still remember the moment I sang the national anthem, I sang it with pride and teary eyes as well,” he told the SA Football Journalist Association. “I was very positive and I knew that I was going to do well because I visualise all the time”.
Led by captain Aaron Mokoena and coached by Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira, Bafana Bafana put smiles on everyone’s faces and Tshabalala’s moment of brilliance ensured the home team surprised the football world by holding the experienced Mexicans to a draw in the tournament opener.
Tshabalala today launches an inspirational children’s book “Super Shabba”, which is based on his life and which he hopes will serve as inspiration to African children that, like he has done, they too can live out their dreams.
This is a story of a boy who grew up in Phiri, Soweto, and always loved football. He had dreams and wanted to be on the big stage, and then he heard on radio that there were trials. He made the grade, but was bullied because of his size and height. However, he didn’t allow anyone to pull him down and he worked hard to be a superhero.
The book is written from Grades 3, 4 and 5, and will be available in, for a start, English, Sesotho, IsiZulu and Setswana.
The book is part of the story of our journey as a family – focusing on the authentic local stuff. It is about changing mindsets one day at a time.
Bafana Bafana Squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup:
Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates), Shuaib Walters (Maritzburg United)
Defenders: Siboniso Gaxa (Sundowns), Anele Ngcongca (KRC Genk, Belgium), Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers), Matthew Booth (Sundowns), Bongani Khumalo (SuperSport United), Siyabonga Sangweni (Golden Arrows), Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa, Israel), Lucas Thwala (Orlando Pirates)
Midfielders: Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates), Lance Davids (Ajax Cape Town), Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs), MacBeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Thanduyise Khuboni (Golden Arrows), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Fulham, England), Steven Pienaar (Everton, England), Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs)