By Les Tan/Red Sports

With Spain’s victory over Holland last night yielding just one miserable goal after extra time, the 2010 World Cup is now the lowest-scoring edition since FIFA made it a 32-nation tournament in France 1998.

The South African World Cup saw a total of only 145 goals scored, 26 goals (or 15%) fewer than in 1998.

While Spain are also the lowest scoring World Cup winner since the tournament began in 1930 (see below), their possession style of football saw them outpass all the other top-eight teams with an average of 543 passes per game.

Germany outscored all other countries with a total of 16 goals while Ghana had the highest number of shots per game of all the quarter-finalists.

The Ghanaians also covered the most distance of the top-eight teams, chalking up an average of 115.4km per game, or 11.5km per player. The Argentinians, on the other hand, covered the least distance among the top-eight with an average of 98km per game.

Diego Maradona’s men only believed in going forward.

Top 8 2010 World Cup teams - Key Stats

Source: fifa.com. *per game average. England stats included for fun.
GOALSGOALS*SHOTS*PASSES*DISTANCE
COVERED (KM)*
Germany 162.314409108.4
Holland 121.713380107.4
Uruguay 111.614270109
Argentina 1021945898.8
Brazil 91.817450100
Spain 81.117543109.6
Ghana 5120329115.4
Paraguay 30.612311110.2
England 30.816394108.4

Past World Cup Winners
1930: Uruguay – 15 goals in 4 games
1934: Italy – 12 goals in 5 games
1938: Italy – 11 goals in 4 games
1950: Uruguay – 15 goals in 4 games
1954: West Germany – 25 goals in 6 games
1958: Brazil – 16 goals in 6 games
1962: Brazil – 14 goals in 6 games
1966: England – 11 goals in 6 games
1970: Brazil – 19 goals in 6 games
1974: West Germany – 13 goals in 7 games
1978: Argentina – 15 goals in 7 games
1982: Italy – 12 goals in 7 games
1986: Argentina – 14 goals in 7 games
1990: West Germany – 15 goals in 7 games
1994: Brazil – 11 goals in 7 games
1998: France – 15 goals in 7 games
2002: Brazil – 18 goals in 7 games
2006: Italy – 12 goals in 7 games
2010: Spain – 8 goals in 7 games

2010 World Cup
Total # of goals: 145
Total # of matches: 64 (32 countries)
Goals per game average so far: 2.3

2006 World Cup
Total # of goals: 147
Total # of matches: 64 (32 countries)
Goals per game average: 2.3

2002 World Cup
Total # of goals: 161
Total # of matches: 64 (32 countries)
Goals per game average: 2.5

1998 World Cup
Total # of goals: 171
Total # of matches: 64 (32 countries)
Goals per game average: 2.7

1994 World Cup
Total # of goals: 141
Total # of matches: 52 (only 24 nations took part then)
Goals per game average: 2.7

1990 World Cup
Total # of goals: 115
Total # of matches: 52 (only 24 nations took part then)
Goals per game average: 2.2

1986 World Cup
Total # of goals: 132
Total # of matches: 52 (only 24 nations took part then)
Goals per game average: 2.5

1982 World Cup
Total # of goals: 146
Total # of matches: 52 (only 24 nations took part then)
Goals per game average: 2.8

1978 World Cup
Total # of goals: 102
Total # of matches: 38 (only 16 nations took part then)
Goals per game average: 2.7

1974 World Cup
Total # of goals: 97
Total # of matches: 38 (only 16 nations took part then)
Goals per game average: 2.6

source: fifa.com

Game Video and Photos
Video highlights
Game photos

The 2010 World Cup Final between Holland and Spain was ...

  • very poor. (I'd rather have my teeth extracted without anaesthetic.) (44%, 71 Votes)
  • Average. (Just watch the highlights.) (40%, 64 Votes)
  • very good! (can watch over and over again!) (17%, 27 Votes)

Total Voters: 162

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The 2010 football World Cup is ...

  • poor because there are too few good games. (39%, 72 Votes)
  • absorbing, fascinating, interesting. (24%, 44 Votes)
  • like watching paint dry. Please wake me up when it's over. (22%, 41 Votes)
  • losing me money! Er ..., I mean sleep! Losing me sleep! (16%, 29 Votes)

Total Voters: 185

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