Six African nations qualified for the 2010 World Cup. One came within a handball of making history. This is how the continent played on home soil.
Ghana were the story of the tournament for Africa. Composed, organised, and capable of genuine quality, they navigated a tough group before beating the United States in extra time in the Round of 16. They then faced Uruguay in a quarter-final that will be argued about for generations. Key players included Asamoah Gyan — joint top scorer in the African contingent — and the indefatigable Kwadwo Asamoah in midfield.
The penalty shootout loss to Uruguay after Suárez's handball remains the defining image of African football's near-breakthrough at 2010. Ghana came within inches — literally, the width of a crossbar — of making history.
| Match | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|
| vs Serbia (Group D) | Win | 1–0 |
| vs Australia (Group D) | Draw | 1–1 |
| vs Germany (Group D) | Loss | 0–1 |
| vs USA (R16) | Win AET | 2–1 |
| vs Uruguay (QF) | Lost pens | 1–1 (AET) |
The host nation carried the hopes of an entire continent. South Africa's opening goal — Siphiwe Tshabalala's stunning long-range strike against Mexico — is the enduring image of the tournament. But Bafana Bafana could not translate that moment of magic into consistent results. They drew with Mexico, lost to Uruguay, and despite beating France became the first host nation in World Cup history to be eliminated at the group stage.
| Match | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|
| vs Mexico (Group A) | Draw | 1–1 |
| vs Uruguay (Group A) | Loss | 0–3 |
| vs France (Group A) | Win | 2–1 |
The Ivorians, led by the great Didier Drogba, were considered pre-tournament dark horses. But cruel fate placed them in Group G with Brazil and Portugal — arguably the tournament's most brutal group. Despite Drogba playing on despite a broken arm sustained just before the tournament, they could not escape the group. Drogba's presence alone galvanised his teammates and his nation's supporters.
| Match | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|
| vs Portugal (Group G) | Draw | 0–0 |
| vs Brazil (Group G) | Loss | 1–3 |
| vs North Korea (Group G) | Win | 3–0 |
Algeria qualified dramatically — beating Egypt in a play-off in Sudan in one of Africa's most charged qualifiers in years. At the finals, they held England to a goalless draw — one of England's most forgettable performances — and came agonisingly close to progress. Their final group game against the USA ended in a 1–0 defeat, ending their campaign. The qualification journey was remembered long after the tournament itself.
| Match | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|
| vs Slovenia (Group C) | Loss | 0–1 |
| vs England (Group C) | Draw | 0–0 |
| vs USA (Group C) | Loss | 0–1 |
Nigeria entered the tournament with optimism but delivered inconsistency. They lost to Argentina in their opener, beat South Korea with a fine performance, then drew with Greece — a result that ended their campaign. The Super Eagles showed moments of the quality that makes Nigeria perennial contenders, but couldn't string together the sustained performance needed to progress.
| Match | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|
| vs Argentina (Group B) | Loss | 0–1 |
| vs South Korea (Group B) | Win | 2–2 → 2–2... |
| vs Greece (Group B) | Draw | 2–2 |
Cameroon had the difficult honour of being the most experienced African nation at World Cups — appearing in their seventh finals — yet delivered their worst performance. Placed in Group E with the Netherlands, Japan, and Denmark, they lost all three games and finished bottom without scoring more than one goal. Samuel Eto'o, one of the world's best players at the time, could not rescue a disjointed campaign.
| Match | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|
| vs Japan (Group E) | Loss | 0–1 |
| vs Denmark (Group E) | Loss | 1–2 |
| vs Netherlands (Group E) | Loss | 1–2 |