Decade When Football Turned Into A Global Beast, Broke New Ground

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ISLAMABAD, July 19 (online Int’l): The decade has seen some champagne football, as well as innovations like Video Assistant Referee (VAR), making it a cusp 10-year period for the sport.

Football has always been a popular sport but it broke new ground this decade, becoming a truly global phenomenon that captured the mind and imagination of fans all over the world. This decade saw the sport make big inroads into Asia and certain other parts of the world with domestic leagues like the Premier League making huge impact to the everyday life of fans. Not only that, the decade also saw the staging of three FIFA men’s World Cups and two UEFA men’s European Championships. Domestic leagues around the world saw the emergence of some new teams even as traditional powerhouses tried to hold on to their influence.

South Africa hosted the first World Cup in Africa which was intended as another coming of age event for the nation. The host nation tumbled out after the group stages however, and of six African nations present only Ghana made it past the first round before bowing out in the quarter-finals.

Only six out of 13 European qualifiers reached the second round, a record low. England were thrashed 4-1 by old rivals Germany in the last 16. But European powerhouses the Netherlands and Spain swept aside all to reach the final.

Spain, the 2008 European champions, beat the Dutch 1-0 in the final in Soccer City, Johannesburg to clinch their maiden world title.

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