Rooney’s 2010 World Cup Verdict Reopens an Old Debate: When Great Tournaments Feel Miserable

Wayne Rooney calling South Africa 2010 the “worst ever” is less a verdict on the host nation than a window into how pressure, tactics, and expectation can sour a World Cup for star players. The reaction also highlights a wider truth: the tournaments fans remember most fondly aren’t always the ones players experienced as the most enjoyable.