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One of the biggest and most anticipated sporting events, the FIFA soccer world cup is almost upon us, taking place from 20 November to 18 December in Qatar.
Over the years the tournament has given us many moments that have caused joy, outrage, shock and celebration.
Here are a few of our top soccer World Cup headlining highlights, from when South Africa proudly hosted the event a decade ago.
2010 - Hosted by South Africa
Opening and closing ceremonies
Bursting with vibrancy, the opening ceremony, held at Soccer City (FNB) Stadium, set the tone for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The 40-minute pre-match ceremony was full of gorgeous colours, costumes, and music and dance performances from all over Africa.
One day prior to the ceremony, the first-ever FIFA World Cup Kick-Off Celebration Concert took place, featuring a number of renowned international artists.
The closing ceremony of the World Cup was just as iconic as its opening one - a Shakira and Freshlyground performance of Waka Waka ending it off on a perfect note.
Slovakia knocks Italy out of the World Cup
Italy had won the World Cup in the most fascinating and extraordinary manner in 2006; their defense wasn’t quite as spectacular.
They were drawn into a relatively easy group with Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia (the latter two countries were making their World Cup debut).
Italy got draws against New Zealand and Paraguay and had to beat Slovakia; however, the debutants showed great spirit to beat Italy 3-2 and knock them out of the tournament, prematurely ending their title defense.
Luis Suarez’s hand of…God?
The quarter-final between Uruguay and Ghana was an excellent match that was marred by one controversial incident.
With the game level, Ghana won a corner. The corner resulted in a goal-bound header from Dominic Adiyiah which was going in but was saved by Luis Suarez.
The striker stuck out a hand and got himself sent off, therefore Ghana were awarded a penalty. Asamoah Gyan failed to convert the penalty and Uruguay would eventually win the match, beating Ghana 4-2 on penalties. It was Suarez’s first brush with controversy, but it wouldn’t be his last.
2014 - Hosted by Brazil
Germany annihilates Brazil 7-1
A game that reverberated around not only the soccer world but an entire nation, Brazil had hoped to win the World Cup on their home soil, but they were sent packing with a disastrous performance that crushed the entire country.
Germany, with four goals in a 27-minute span and five in the first half, torched the hosts and threw the country into sudden soccer turmoil.
For a team who hadn’t lost a competitive home match in a really, really long time, this was a disaster of epic proportions.
Luis Suarez bites Georgio Chiellini
Italy and Uruguay are playing each other in their final Group D game with both sides needing a win to guarantee qualification to the last 16.
In the penalty area Suarez and Chiellini have a coming together and the ex-Liverpool striker is writhing around on the floor.
Nothing untoward here, until it is revealed that for the third time in his career, Luis Suarez has bitten an opposition player.
The images spread like wildfire and Suarez was condemned around the world - apart from in Uruguay. Suarez received a four-month ban from all football.
Neymar is ruled out of the World Cup
In their quarter-final against Colombia, Brazil were reduced to bully boy tactics to see off Los Cafeteros and they paid the price.
In the second half Juan Zuniga challenged World Cup poster boy Neymar and crashed into his back with his knee cap.
Neymar lay prone with a broken vertebra, and later said he couldn’t feel his legs after the incident. A nation held its breath as he was stretchered off and news filtered out after the game he would miss the rest of the tournament.
2018 - Hosted by Russia
The Ronaldo Game
Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick against Spain broke multiple records. He made history by becoming the first player to score in eight consecutive major international tournaments as he won and converted a fourth-minute penalty during Portugal’s FIFA World Cup 2018 opener.
20 minutes later Diego Costa pulled Spain level before Ronaldo struck again just before halftime. While it looked like Spain was in full control of the game, in the 88th minute, Portugal won a free kick at the edge of the area, which Ronaldo successfully scored to even out the score at 3-3.
Germany exits early
A dramatic victory over Sweden had many people fearing that Germany might become unstoppable on their route to the final in Russia. However, in one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history, South Korea ended their tournament before the knockout stages.
With the game locked at 0-0 and Germany needing a win to qualify, Young-Gwon Kim bundled home from a corner and although the goal was initially ruled out for offside, a VAR review showed the ball coming off the foot of Kroos and the decision was reversed.
Five minutes later, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer comically sauntered upfield and was dispossessed before Heung-Min Son fired into an open net.
Kylian Mbappé announces himself on the grandest of stages.
19 at the time, France maestro Kylian Mbappe produced one of the most dominant performances of the tournament to help his country secure a 4-3 win over Argentina.
Mbappé’s lung-bursting run through the Argentine defense is nothing short of watching Usain Bolt sprint, which led to Marcus Rojo fouling him and earning France a penalty.
He then ran around the defense again, scoring a left-footed winner with so much power, the keeper couldn’t do anything about it.
He became the first teenage player since Brazilian football legend Pele to score in a World Cup knockout match and in a World Cup final.
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