When Peter Drury immortalised Tshabalala’s goal, welcomed World Cup to Africa

The fixture is the same, but everything else feels worlds apart. Then, South Africa were welcoming the World Cup to African soil for the first time. Now, the tournament returns with a new generation, a new host landscape and new stars. Yet, the shadow of that unforgettable opener hangs over the rematch.

Back in 2010, the stakes extended far beyond the result. The World Cup had arrived in Africa for the first time, carrying the hopes of an entire continent. Across Johannesburg, flags draped from balconies and car windows. The soundtrack was the relentless buzz of the vuvuzela; its shrill hum that annoyed those outside South Africa but became inseparable from the identity of the tournament.

There was, however, anxiety beneath the excitement. South Africa entered the tournament as outsiders, burdened by the unwanted possibility of becoming the first host nation to exit in the group stage. Mexico, experienced and technically gifted, were expected to provide an immediate reality check. The fear was that the opening ceremony might be the high point, with the football failing to match the occasion.

Instead, the match gave the tournament exactly what it needed.

The first half crackled with nervous energy. Every South African attack generated a roar. Every Mexican move was met with collective tension. The atmosphere inside Soccer City felt almost impossible to replicate. The crowd desperately wanted a moment to remember.

Then it arrived.

Mexico lost the ball in South Africa’s half. A rapid counterattack. A perfectly weighted pass. Siphiwe Tshabalala bursting down the left flank. One touch. One swing of the left foot. And the ball flew into the roof of the net.

Soccer City exploded. And Drury, the commentator, immortalised the moment with a call that still echoes through football history. The vibration of the Tshabalala goal was felt across the continent. Until then, there were questions about what an African World Cup would look and sound like. In one electrifying moment, those questions disappeared. The tournament had found its identity. It was vibrant, loud, emotional and unapologetically unique.

Mexico eventually responded through Rafael Márquez, whose equaliser secured a 1-1 draw.

Few opening games have done a better job of capturing the spirit of a World Cup. The match was not defined by tactical sophistication or elite quality. It was defined by possibility.

The tournament that followed would produce countless memories: the incessant vuvuzelas, emerging stars, dramatic knockout matches and, eventually, Spain’s first world title. Yet the image that endures for many is still Tshabalala sprinting away in celebration, arms spread wide, with Soccer City shaking behind him.

Now, sixteen years on, the World Cup arrives at a curious point in its own history. The tournament has grown bigger, richer and more global than ever before. It will be spread across three countries, feature 48 teams and generate unprecedented revenues. Yet, as Mexico and South Africa walk out once again for an opening match, the tournament plagued by many controversies will inevitably search for something less tangible: a moment.

And if it comes, if the opener again produces a goal that captures the imagination of the world, another commentator will instinctively do what Peter Drury did in Johannesburg all those years ago. He will forget the script, abandon restraint and simply shout a name into football history.

Just as he once did with Tshabalala.