Group A of the 2010 FIFA World Cup began on 11 June and ended on 22 June 2010. The group consisted of host nation South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay and the runners-up from 2006, France.
France and South Africa previously met at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, when then-hosts France beat South Africa 3–0. They also previously met with Uruguay at the 2002 FIFA World Cup; the match ended in a 0–0 draw. France and Mexico were in the same group at the first ever World Cup in 1930; the two nations played the first-ever World Cup match and France won 4–1. France and Mexico had also met in 1954 but neither team qualified for the next round. This is also the second time that France, Mexico and Uruguay have been drawn in the same group with the host nation. They were grouped with England in 1966, when England and Uruguay advanced to the next round.
South Africa became the first World Cup host team to fail to advance past the group stage after finishing behind Mexico on goal difference. France, despite having made the final at the previous edition of the World Cup, were also eliminated after drawing one and losing two matches, including one against South Africa.
Standings
Uruguay advanced to play South Korea (runners-up of Group B) in the round of 16. Mexico advanced to play Argentina (winners of Group B) in the round of 16.
Matches All times local (UTC+2)
South Africa vs Mexico South Africa vs Mexico was the opening match of the World Cup, held on 11 June 2010. It was described as an "enthralling" and "pulsating" match. Mexico put the ball in the net first, but it was offside. South Africa opened the scoring in the 55th minute after Siphiwe Tshabalala scored with a left foot shot to the top right corner of the net from the left of the penalty area after a pass through Mexico's defence by Kagiso Dikgacoi. Mexico's captain Rafael Márquez equalised following a corner kick in the 79th minute with a shot to the right of the net from five yards out on the right. In the final minutes of the match, Katlego Mphela almost scored a winning goal for South Africa, but his shot bounced off the post.
Tshabalala was named as the man of the match. South Africa's coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira called the result "fair", while Mexico's coach Javier Aguirre stated "we could have won, we could have lost".
This opening match was played again as the opener for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on 11 June 2026, exactly 16 years later, with Mexico now hosting South Africa.
GK 16Itumeleng KhuneRB 2 Siboniso GaxaCB 4 Aaron Mokoena (c)CB 20Bongani KhumaloLB 15Lucas Thwala RM 8 Siphiwe TshabalalaCM 13Kagisho Dikgacoi CM 12Reneilwe LetsholonyaneLM 11Teko ModiseSS 10Steven Pienaar CF 9 Katlego MphelaSubstitutions:DF 3 Tsepo Masilela FW 17Bernard Parker Manager: Carlos Alberto Parreira GK 1 Óscar PérezRB 12Paul Aguilar CB 5 Ricardo OsorioCB 2 Francisco Javier RodríguezLB 3 Carlos SalcidoDM 4 Rafael MárquezCM 16Efraín Juárez CM 6 Gerardo Torrado (c) RW 17Giovani dos SantosLW 11Carlos Vela CF 9 Guillermo Franco Substitutions:MF 18Andrés Guardado FW 10Cuauhtémoc Blanco FW 14Javier Hernández Manager:Javier Aguirre
Man of the Match: Siphiwe Tshabalala (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Rafael Ilyasov (Uzbekistan) Bakhadyr Kochkarov (Kyrgyzstan) Fourth official: Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh (Malaysia) Fifth official: Mu Yuxin (China)
Uruguay vs France
France and Uruguay faced each other on 11 June 2010 at the Cape Town Stadium. Despite a red card being given to Uruguay substitute Nicolás Lodeiro in the second half, Uruguay were able to hold a "lacklustre" France to a 0–0 draw. After the match, former World Cup-winning French player Zinedine Zidane criticised the French team and particularly coach Raymond Domenech for a lack of teamwork. Domenech claimed after the match to be "happy with the overall performance".
GK 1 Fernando MusleraRB 6 Mauricio Victorino CB 2 Diego Lugano (c) CB 3 Diego GodínLB 11Álvaro PereiraRM 16Maxi PereiraCM 15Diego Pérez CM 17Egidio ArévaloLM 18Ignacio González CF 10Diego ForlánCF 9 Luis Suárez Substitutions:MF 14Nicolás Lodeiro FW 13Sebastián Abreu MF 8 Sebastián Eguren Manager:Óscar Tabárez GK 1 Hugo LlorisRB 2 Bacary SagnaCB 5 William GallasCB 3 Eric AbidalLB 13Patrice Evra (c) DM 14Jérémy Toulalan CM 8 Yoann Gourcuff CM 19Abou DiabyRW 10Sidney Govou LW 7 Franck Ribéry CF 21Nicolas Anelka Substitutions:FW 12Thierry Henry MF 15Florent Malouda FW 11André-Pierre Gignac Manager:Raymond Domenech
Man of the Match: Diego Forlán (Uruguay)
Assistant referees: Toru Sagara (Japan) Jeong Hae-sang (South Korea) Fourth official: Joel Aguilar (El Salvador) Fifth official: William Torres (El Salvador)
South Africa vs Uruguay Uruguay took the lead in the 24th minute, when Diego Forlán launched a shot from 30 yards out that beat goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, who did not attempt to save the shot. In the second half, Luis Suárez was left through on goal, but he was brought down by Khune. Referee Massimo Busacca awarded a penalty and showed Khune a red card. Deep into injury time, Uruguay scored their third goal when Álvaro Pereira tapped in a Suárez cross. This was Uruguay's first World Cup win since 1990.
GK 16Itumeleng Khune RB 2 Siboniso GaxaCB 4 Aaron Mokoena (c)CB 20Bongani KhumaloLB 3 Tsepo MasilelaRM 8 Siphiwe TshabalalaCM 13Kagisho Dikgacoi CM 12Reneilwe Letsholonyane LM 11Teko ModiseSS 10Steven Pienaar CF 9 Katlego MphelaSubstitutions:MF 19Surprise Moriri GK 1 Moeneeb Josephs Manager: Carlos Alberto Parreira GK 1 Fernando MusleraRB 16Maxi PereiraCB 2 Diego Lugano (c)CB 3 Diego GodínLB 4 Jorge Fucile DM 15Diego Pérez RM 17Egidio ArévaloLM 11Álvaro PereiraAM 10Diego ForlánCF 9 Luis SuárezCF 7 Edinson Cavani Substitutions:MF 20Álvaro Fernández FW 21Sebastián Fernández MF 5 Walter Gargano Manager:Óscar Tabárez Man of the Match: Diego Forlán (Uruguay)
Assistant referees: Matthias Arnet (Switzerland) Francesco Buragina (Switzerland) Fourth official: Wolfgang Stark (Germany) Fifth official: Jan-Hendrik Salver (Germany)
France vs Mexico Mexico's 2–0 victory over France in Polokwane was the nation's first win against a World Cup-winning team. It was overshadowed by French striker Nicolas Anelka launching a tirade of abuse towards coach Raymond Domenech during the half-time interval. Anelka was subsequently dismissed from the squad, which resulted in many squad members, including captain Patrice Evra, boycotting training in the lead-up to the final group stage match against South Africa.
GK 1 Hugo LlorisRB 2 Bacary SagnaCB 5 William GallasCB 3 Eric Abidal LB 13Patrice Evra (c)CM 14Jérémy Toulalan CM 19Abou DiabyRW 10Sidney Govou AM 7 Franck RibéryLW 15Florent MaloudaCF 21Nicolas Anelka Substitutions:FW 11André-Pierre Gignac MF 20Mathieu Valbuena Manager:Raymond Domenech GK 1 Óscar PérezRB 5 Ricardo OsorioCB 15Héctor Moreno CB 2 Francisco Javier Rodríguez LB 3 Carlos SalcidoDM 4 Rafael Márquez (c)CM 16Efraín Juárez CM 6 Gerardo TorradoRW 17Giovani dos SantosLW 11Carlos Vela CF 9 Guillermo Franco Substitutions:MF 7 Pablo Barrera FW 14Javier Hernández FW 10Cuauhtémoc Blanco Manager:Javier Aguirre Man of the Match: Javier Hernández (Mexico)
Assistant referees: Hassan Kamranifar (Iran) Saleh Al Marzouqi (United Arab Emirates) Fourth official: Peter O'Leary (New Zealand) Fifth official: Matthew Taro (Solomon Islands)
Mexico vs Uruguay
GK 1 Óscar PérezRB 5 Ricardo OsorioCB 2 Francisco Javier RodríguezCB 15Héctor Moreno LB 3 Carlos SalcidoRM 6 Gerardo TorradoCM 4 Rafael MárquezLM 18Andrés Guardado AM 17Giovani dos SantosAM 10Cuauhtémoc Blanco (c) CF 9 Guillermo FrancoSubstitutions:MF 7 Pablo Barrera MF 8 Israel Castro FW 14Javier Hernández Manager:Javier Aguirre GK 1 Fernando MusleraRB 16Maxi PereiraCB 2 Diego Lugano (c)CB 6 Mauricio VictorinoLB 4 Jorge Fucile DM 15Diego PérezRM 17Egidio ArévaloLM 11Álvaro Pereira AM 10Diego ForlánCF 9 Luis Suárez CF 7 Edinson CavaniSubstitutions:DF 19Andrés Scotti MF 20Álvaro Fernández Manager:Óscar Tabárez Man of the Match: Luis Suárez (Uruguay)
Assistant referees: Gábor Erős (Hungary) Tibor Vámos (Hungary) Fourth official: Martin Hansson (Sweden) Fifth official: Stefan Wittberg (Sweden)
France vs South Africa
GK 1 Hugo LlorisRB 2 Bacary SagnaCB 5 William GallasCB 17Sébastien SquillaciLB 22Gaël ClichyCM 18Alou Diarra (c) CM 19Abou Diaby RW 11André-Pierre Gignac AM 8 Yoann Gourcuff LW 7 Franck RibéryCF 9 Djibril Cissé Substitutions:MF 15Florent Malouda FW 12Thierry Henry FW 10Sidney Govou Manager:Raymond Domenech GK 1 Moeneeb JosephsRB 5 Anele Ngcongca† CB 4 Aaron Mokoena (c)CB 20Bongani KhumaloLB 3 Tsepo MasilelaCM 6 MacBeth SibayaCM 23Thanduyise Khuboni RW 10Steven PienaarLW 8 Siphiwe TshabalalaCF 9 Katlego MphelaCF 17Bernard Parker Substitutions:DF 2 Siboniso Gaxa FW 18Siyabonga Nomvethe MF 11Teko Modise Manager: Carlos Alberto Parreira Man of the Match: Katlego Mphela (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Abraham González (Colombia) Humberto Clavijo (Colombia) Fourth official: Héctor Baldassi (Argentina) Fifth official: Ricardo Casas (Argentina)
See also France at the FIFA World Cup Mexico at the FIFA World Cup South Africa at the FIFA World Cup Uruguay at the FIFA World Cup
References
Match reports