The Top 10 – Panini FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010

Cristiano Ronaldo as most of know, is one of the greatest players of all time. Ronaldo possesses a remarkable blend of speed, agility, and strength, making him a formidable opponent on the field. His technical abilities are unparalleled, with sublime dribbling, precise passing, and a lethal finishing ability with both feet and his head.

During the 2010 World Cup, Ronaldo had a strong tournament hitting the back of the net once. Portugal would end up being knocked out in the round of 16 against the eventual champions. There were probably players that had a better tournament than Ronaldo, but given his reputation, I thought he deserved at least the number 10 spot!

Alexis Sánchez is a dynamic and versatile forward known for his explosive speed, agility, and technical quality. Sanchez possesses a diverse skill set that allows him to excel in various attacking roles. His quick feet, dribbling ability, and close control make him a nightmare for defenders to handle, while his vision and creativity enable him to both score goals and provide assists for his teammates.

During the tournament, Sanchez troubled opposing defences, creating scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates, ending with 1 assist. Although it wasn’t an incredible tournament for Sanchez, he was still a very young man.

This sticker represents one of his first stickers and is a very nice one to have given the career he has had. Being an Arsenal fan I can attest to his immense quality. Obviously this is tainted by his move to United, but I still have a soft spot for him. An amazing player!

Sergio Busquets is s one of the finest defensive midfielders of his generation. Known for his intelligence, tactical awareness, and exceptional ability to read the game. As a defensive midfielder, Busquets possesses a unique skill set that sets him apart from his peers. His positional sense and ability to anticipate opposition movements allow him to intercept passes and break up opposition attacks effectively. Additionally, Busquets is renowned for his calmness under pressure and ability to retain possession in tight spaces.

Busquets played a vital role in Spain’s historic triumph in the tournament, providing a solid defensive shield in front of the backline. Busquets’ composure on the ball and his ability to dictate the tempo of the game were particularly evident as Spain dominated every team they faced. His performances earned him a place in the Team of the Tournament.

While Busquets’ contributions may not always be as flashy as those of his attacking teammates, his importance to the team’s success cannot be understated. I personally think he is one of the most underrated players in his generation, there is no coincidence to the amount of titles he has won in his career.

Sneijder possessed a wide array of skills that made him a formidable presence on the field. His vision allowed him to pick out passes that unlocked opposition defences, while his precise passing and ability to dictate the tempo of the game were instrumental in controlling midfield play. Sneijder was also known for his deadly right foot, capable of dropping bombs into the opposition goalkeepers net!

During the tournament, Sneijder was at the peak of his powers and played a central role in the Netherlands’ journey to the final! His performances were nothing short of outstanding, as he showcased his ability to influence games with his passing, creativity, and threat to the goal. Sneijder finished joint top scorer of the tournament with 5 goals! His performances earned him a place in the Team of the Tournament.

Wesley is a big game player, and this tournament was a great case study!

David Villa is renowned for his clinical finishing, intelligent movement, and versatility on the field. Throughout his career, Villa showcased a wide range of skills that made him a prolific goal scorer and a valuable asset for both his club and national teams. Villa possessed a lethal combination of speed, agility, and technical ability. His instinctive positioning and ability to find space in the penalty area allowed him to pounce on scoring opportunities with precision and efficiency. Villa was also adept at using both feet and his head to score goals, making him a constant threat inside the box.

Villa played a starring role in Spain’s World Cup triumph, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with 5 goals. His clinical finishing and ability to deliver in crucial moments were instrumental in Spain’s success.

One of the underrated greats for me. Lethal in front of goal and has put up numbers everywhere he was gone!

Mesut Ozil is known for his exquisite vision, impeccable passing, and sublime ball control. Renowned for his creativity and playmaking abilities, he has earned a reputation as one of the most talented midfielders of his generation. Ozil possesses a unique skill set that allows him to orchestrate attacks and unlock opposition defences with precision passes and incisive through balls. His ability to spot and exploit spaces on the field, coupled with his deft touch and close control, make him a constant threat in the final third. Ozil’s vision allows him to see opportunities that others may overlook, and he has the technique to weight his passes to perfection.

During the 2010 World Cup, Ozil emerged as a breakout star, showcasing his immense talent on the global stage. His performances in midfield were instrumental in Germany’s journey to the semi-finals, where they ultimately fell short against Spain. He finished the tournament with 3 assists.

I personally remember watching Ozil live during this tournament, often with my jaw hitting the floor. I thought to myself, “who the hell is this guy!” He glided across the pitch dropping endless balls in behind the defence. Straight after this tournament, he was on his way to Real Madrid! I have this sticker to never forget those times!

Diego Forlan, a Uruguayan football legend, was renowned for his exceptional skill set and absolute weapon of a shot! He had a powerful and accurate shot, capable of scoring from long range or in tight spaces. His proficiency with both feet made him unpredictable for defenders, while his aerial prowess added another dimension to his goal-scoring threat. Beyond his goal-scoring ability, Forlán was also an excellent playmaker. His vision, creativity, and precise passing allowed him to create scoring opportunities for his teammates, contributing to his team’s attacking play.

During the tournament, Forlan was a standout performer for the Uruguayan national team. His leadership on the field and his ability to deliver in crucial moments played a vital role in Uruguay’s impressive run to the semi-finals. Anyone who watched the tournament will not forget Forlan! He was joint top scorer with 5 goals, which is impressive in itself, but the goals he scored were outrageous! He was bagging them from long range for fun!

Forlan’s performances earned him the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player! A super sticker!

Andrés Iniesta, the midfield maestro, is widely regarded as one of the most elegant and influential players of his generation. Iniesta possessed a sublime skill set that set him apart from his peers. His exceptional dribbling ability, close control, and precise passing allowed him to dictate the tempo of the game and orchestrate attacks with ease. Iniesta’s vision and creativity made him a constant threat in the final third, as he consistently carved open opposition defences with his incisive through balls and clever movement off the ball.

Iniesta played a central role in Spain’s historic triumph. His performances in midfield were nothing short of masterful, as he controlled games with his composure on the ball and ability to navigate through tight spaces.

Iniesta’s moment came in the biggest match of the tournament: the final! It as a tight match between the Netherlands and was 0-0 going into extra time. Iniesta seized upon an opportunity created late, and buried it with conviction! His goal single handedly brought the World Cup to Spain.

A big sticker!!

Luis Suarez is renowned for his tenacity, goal-scoring ability, and technical ability on the field. Suarez possesses a diverse skill set that makes him a constant threat to opposition defences. One of Suarez’s most notable attributes is his lethal finishing ability. He has a natural instinct for goal-scoring and is capable of finding the back of the net with both feet and his head. He is a very intelligent forward and when he gets an opportunity, he is usually ruthless. Suarez also has the ability to create scoring chances for his teammates adds an extra dimension to his team’s attacking play and makes him a valuable asset in the final third.

During the 2010 World Cup, Suarez made headlines for both his goal-scoring exploits and his controversial actions. His performances were instrumental in Uruguay’s journey to the semi-finals, where they ultimately finished in fourth place. Suarez’s goal-scoring ability, combined with his competitiveness and determination, earned him widespread praise and recognition as one of the tournament’s standout performers. His competitiveness also saw him get sent off in spectacular fashion. Against Ghana he handled the ball to stop a certain goal. The action saw him receive at straight red, but incredibly Asamoah Gyan, for Ghana, missed the penalty!

This is a great sticker in my opinion. It is his international rookie sticker and one of his first stickers! Suarez was one of those players that took a while to get noticed and was playing in the Netherlands for 4 years! Now he is one of the greatest strikers of his generation, and if you ask me, the best of his generation, if we are talking number 9s.

Thomas Muller is known for his unique style of play, tactical intelligence, and goal-scoring prowess. One of Muller’s defining characteristics is his instinctive positioning and ability to find space in the opposition’s defence. His anticipation and reading of the game allow him to exploit gaps in the defence and capitalise on scoring chances with precision finishing.

In addition to his goal-scoring ability, Muller is an excellent playmaker. His vision, passing, and ability to link up play make him a creative force in the final third. Müller’s unselfishness and willingness to contribute to the team’s overall success make him a valuable asset in both attacking and defensive phases of the game.

During the 2010 World Cup, he emerged as one of the breakout stars for the German national team. His performances were instrumental in Germany’s journey to the semi-finals, where they ultimately finished in third place. Muller was just the ago of 20, but managed 5 goals and 3 assists, joint top scorer.

If you ask me, those are insane numbers, especially as he was relatively unknown at the time. This is one of his first stickers and quite rare as it is from the updated set. I think this will be a huge one in the future

This sticker is from the Panini World Cup 2010 Update Set