Wayne Rooney described the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as the worst in history, stating: "It didn't feel like a World Cup."

Wayne Rooney described the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as the worst in history (REUTERS). The former captain of the English national team, Wayne Rooney, sparked controversy by stating that the 2010 World Cup in South Africa was "the worst in history" and a completely different experience from the usual spirit of the competition, which reignited the debate about the legacy of that World Cup and the frustration that accompanied England's campaign in that tournament. During a recent interview on the British program The Overlap, he described the African edition as different from the rest of the tournaments, marking a strong contrast with other opinions in the international football world. The former Manchester United striker explained that, for him, "there is no World Cup worse than South Africa 2010. That tournament never felt like a World Cup." His words were reported by GOAL.com, the specialized football portal, which highlighted the strength of his opinion. In the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the English national team was eliminated in the round of 16 after a 4-1 defeat against Germany and barely managed to advance from the group stage, scoring only five points in three matches and showing a performance below expectations. Rooney, who arrived at the tournament as one of the team's top players under Fabio Capello, failed to score any goals during the competition and was the subject of harsh criticism for both his performance and his reaction to the English fans, whom he insulted after a goalless draw against Algeria. The English national team, under the guidance of Fabio Capello, was eliminated by Germany in the round of 16 after losing 4-1 (AP). In his conversation with The Overlap, Rooney recalled specific details about the atmosphere during the tournament. "We were on our way to our opening match against the United States, and the atmosphere was completely unusual. It was dark, there were no fans nearby, and there was a lack of the usual welcome from the supporters that one expects before a match," the former striker recounted. "It simply didn't feel like a World Cup at all." Rooney's negative perception was reinforced by both the poor collective performance and his own scoring drought, which made him a target of criticism from the press and the fans. After the 0-0 draw against Algeria, he was caught on television cameras mocking the English fans who were booing the team, an episode that illustrated the tension and distance between the players and their public during that championship. England arrived in South Africa with a squad considered one of the most competitive of the era, under the guidance of the Italian coach Fabio Capello. However, from the beginning, the team struggled to find cohesion and rhythm. In the group stage, the "Three Lions" drew 1-1 with the United States, tied 0-0 against Algeria, and achieved a narrow 1-0 victory over Slovenia, which allowed them to advance to the round of 16 in second place in their group. The outcome was a defeat against Germany, where England was overwhelmingly defeated 4-1. The match was marked by the remembered goal not awarded to Frank Lampard, whose ball clearly crossed the goal line without being sanctioned by the referee or his assistants. This incident, known as the "ghost goal," intensified the controversy and discontent among players, coaches, and fans. According to Statista, the German sports statistics portal, England had arrived at the tournament with the expectation of being at least among the top four, something they had not achieved since 1990. The early elimination and the referee scandal reinforced the feeling of failure and left an indelible mark on figures like Rooney. England's early elimination left Rooney without goals and at the center of criticism from the press and fans during the tournament (REUTERS). Rooney's statements contrast with the official view of the International Federation of Association Football, FIFA, and numerous international observers. The then-president of the organization, Sepp Blatter, described the 2010 edition in South Africa as "the best World Cup in history" for its organization and its cultural importance to the African continent. Despite this recognition, the testimony of the former English captain highlights the distance between the institutional evaluation and the personal experience of the participants. "My memories are clearly marked by the way we were dismissed from the tournament," Rooney admitted, who acknowledged that the combination of poor results, a cold atmosphere, and individual frustration shaped his negative opinion of that World Cup.