2010 FIFA World Cup: What Is It Missing?

As we enter the tournament’s second round of group games, there is a sense that the 2010 World Cup is missing something.

Here in the UK, there is a feeling—which I suspect is not exclusive to this country—that the tournament has yet to provide all that it promised. There is a general consensus that the World Cup is missing something, but not on what that intangible “something” is.

It is certainly not colour and vibrancy, as South Africa and its people have proved to be arguably the most excited and involved hosts ever. The Rainbow Nation feels, much like China did during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, that the tournament is a unique opportunity to showcase their resurgent country to the world.

South Africans were stung by pre-tournament accusations that the nation was not prepared to stage the greatest show of the world’s favourite sport.

Danny Jordaan, the South African Chief FIFA World Cup Organiser, recalls being told by the late UK sports minister, Tony Banks, that anyone who thought that South Africa would be a better World Cup host than England "must believe Elvis is still alive and living on the Moon."

Now that the tournament is underway, the South African people have been determined to stamp their mark upon it, with their sheer hope and enthusiasm bringing light to the games. Thus far, pre-tournament fears about disruption by crime and disorganisation have thankfully failed to come to fruition.

However, the South African gusto that has brought so much international praise has also given rise to perhaps the most criticised aspect of the World Cup so far—the vuvuzela.

The horn-like instrument so popular with South African football fans has been ubiquitous at all of the tournament matches, creating a loud, continual drone that is unfamiliar to— and unwanted by—most fans from other nations. Coaches, players, commentators, and spectators have all complained about the vuvuzelas, prompting tournament organisers to consider a ban on the instrument inside stadia.

Fears abound that not only does the noise prevent players from hearing on-pitch instructions, but also that they inhibit the chanting which is such an integral component of the usual football atmosphere. The only time that the vuvuzela din ever ceases is when a goal is scored against the host nation’s beloved Bafana Bafana .

Having been experienced by participants in the 2009 Confederations Cup, which also took place in South Africa, the vuvuzelas did not come as a surprise.

Another issue that was much discussed before the big kickoff was the Adidas Jabulani Match Ball.

Developed at the UK’s Loughbrough University, the much maligned ball is the most criticised in the game’s history. Before the tournament began, it was lambasted by no less than nine of the participating goalkeepers. Worryingly, it was also criticised by many of the world’s most high-profile outfield players, including Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Robinho, and Xavi.

The usual criticism levelled at newly developed footballs is that their flights are too difficult for goalkeepers to anticipate. This was the case here too, with England goalkeeping legend Gordon Banks declaring that the Jabulani does not “give goalkeepers a chance.” Pre-tournament expectations were that the ball’s irregular flight would lead to a flood of goalkeeping errors, though this was countered by hopes that more goals would make for a more exciting tournament.

However, neither expectation has been realised. Though there have been some notable goalkeeping errors—the most high-profile being Robert Green’s gift of an equalizer to the USA’s Clint Dempsey—it is unclear if these had much to do with the Jabulani.

This leads us to another perceived problem with the tournament—the disappointing lack of goals.

The first round of group matches provided only 25 goals, amounting to a mean average of 1.56 goals per match. This compared unfavourably with both the 2006 World Cup (39 goals at 2.43 goals per match) and the 2002 tournament (46 goals at 2.88 goals per match). 

Perhaps, rather than hurting goalkeepers in favour of attackers, the Jabulani ball has actually stifled strikers. The dearth of long range goals has been noticeable, as free-kicks and speculative long shots have continually flown high and wide of the target.

As the United States’ Landon Donovan stated, “You’re seeing a lot of missed chances… that would normally be goals that are not going in.”

One would hope that the players are soon able to adapt to the Jabulani’s quirks and provide some more spectacular scoring.

The tournament is still young, and we can expect much more drama and magic before it closes in Johannesburg.

There has already been much to love about these finals, but what crucial element do you think is needed in order to make the first World Cup in Africa the memorable spectacle that it deserves to be?