Siphiwe Tshabalala proud of making Kaizer Chiefs history at 2010 World Cup

Siphiwe Tshabalala says he takes immense pride in being the first Kaizer Chiefs player to score at a FIFA World Cup finals.

The former South Africa international made history during the opening match of the 2010 tournament, staged on African soil, when he scored against Mexico at FNB Stadium.

Tshabalala’s goal helped South Africa secure a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Mexico and saw him become the first African player to score in the continent’s first FIFA World Cup event.

The left-footed midfielder, known as ‘Shabba’, received the ball before striking into the net, creating one of the defining moments of the tournament for the host nation.

South Africa were unable to progress beyond the group stage. They suffered a 3-0 defeat by Uruguay before beating France 2-1, but Mexico edged them out for a place in the last 16.

Despite the early exit, Tshabalala’s goal against Mexico remains firmly recorded in South African football history. He said, however, that personal records were never his main motivation.

“It was an incredible achievement to score at a World Cup and also to be the first Kaizer Chiefs player to do so,” he told the Kaizer Chiefs website.

“When our stories are being told and put in the archive, my name will be there forever. For me, it was never about breaking records; it was about playing to the best of my ability, and that helped me achieve all the accolades that came with scoring against Mexico.”

Tshabalala spent 2007-2018 with Kaizer Chiefs, making 334 appearances and contributing 55 goals and 85 assists.

He also represented South Africa 91 times, scoring 12 goals and providing 10 assists.

The Phiri-born player said the opportunity to play for his country was among the aspects of his career he valued most. His international record included goals against teams from five continents, another achievement he remembers fondly.

“I enjoyed representing my country, and scoring against nations from five continents is also an achievement I look back at with fondness,” he said.

Tshabalala’s World Cup strike remains his most widely remembered contribution on the international stage and established his place in Kaizer Chiefs history.