What South Africa World Cup hero Siphiwe Tshabalala’s is doing now | Football | Sport
Siphiwe Tshabalala scoring the first goal of the 2010 World Cup (Image: Clive Rose, Getty Images)
A World Cup is frequently defined by its iconic moments. Germany 2006 evokes memories of Zinedine Zidane’s astonishing headbutt on Marco Materazzi, while Mexico ’86 recalls Maradona’s notorious ‘hand of God’. The World Cup 2026 kicks off on Thursday and its defining moment will undoubtedly arrive.
The 2010 World Cup, however, is warmly remembered for South African winger Siphiwe Tshabalala’s thunderous strike against Mexico that set the tournament alight. As fate would have it, that very fixture will also launch World Cup 2026. It was June 11, 2010, when Tshabalala fired South Africa ahead in the opening match of the competition with a ferocious drive into the top right corner. The iconic touchline dance that followed became almost as celebrated as the goal itself.
Peter Drury, who was commentating on the game for ITV at the time, immortalised the moment with his words. “Goal Bafana Bafana, goal for South Africa, goal for all Africa,” the Sky Sports commentator roared.
The strike sent the 85,000 supporters in Soccer City, Johannesburg, into raptures as South Africa were already celebrating becoming the first African nation to host the competition. But what has become of the icon who netted that goal?
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Tshabalala has since authored children’s books and remains an active participant in the FIFA Player Executive Programme. He also operates community initiatives, including delivering school shoes to disadvantaged children.
The former winger frequently takes part in fixtures featuring continental football legends and, judging by his Instagram account, he recently visited Harvard Business School in Boston, USA, though it remains unclear whether this is a permanent move or a short-term visit.
South Africa announced themselves on the world stage during the 2010 World Cup (Image: (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images))
Now 41, Tshabalala has expressed his immense pride at netting that iconic goal 16 years ago. Speaking to FIFA in 2020, he said: “That was always going to be the biggest goal in my career, no matter what came after, because it touched so many lives and brought joy to so many people. I’ll always love it – it’s beautiful – but the goal is bigger than me as an individual.
“Although it happened ten years ago, it still feels like yesterday because I get reminders and messages from people about it every single day. It’s very humbling. That goal was special at the time, it’s special today and, for me and a lot of other people, it will be special forever.”
Discussing his technique for the strike, he said: “I actually thought at first about lobbing or chipping it because the keeper was off his line. Thankfully I thought twice and decided for power instead. And as I was about to hit it, the ball took a very slight bounce off the ground. That helped, I think, and the connection was so good that as soon as the ball left my foot I knew it was going in.
“I envisaged having a good game and scoring a goal. The celebration showed that actually because it was rehearsed. We knew we were going to score.” Tshabalala began his footballing journey with South African club Free State Stars, before making the move to Kaizer Chiefs, where he spent a decade between 2007 and 2018.
A brief spell in Turkey with BB Erzurumspor followed, after which he returned to his home country to turn out for AmaZulu before hanging up his boots.
Tshabalala holds legendary status within the national side. He made his international bow in a friendly against Egypt in January 2006 and featured in the South African squad at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2006, 2008 and 2013, as well as the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.
