FIFA Confederations Cup 2009

Lore & Background

The draw was held on 22 November 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. Spain was placed in Pot A alongside South Africa, Brazil, and Italy. The official match ball was the Adidas Kopanya. Four venues were used, all also used for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The referees were announced on 5 May; two referee teams withdrew due to injuries and were replaced.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights of Soccer City hummed against the Johannesburg night sky. In the tunnel, Vicente del Bosque watched his players breathe in unison. There was no panic, only a quiet rhythm. Iker Casillas tightened his gloves, feeling the weight of expectation and history. They had come this far through grit and grace. As the referee checked the ball, the roar of the crowd faded into a singular focus. This was not just about a cup; it was about proving they belonged at the very top of the world game.

Reader's Guide

The group stage tie-breaking criteria are: points, goal difference, goals scored, then head-to-head points, head-to-head goal difference, head-to-head goals scored, and drawing of lots. The knockout stage included semi-finals, a match for third place, and the final. Matches decided in extra time count as wins/losses; penalty shoot-outs count as draws.

Did You Know?

• Luís Fabiano received the Golden Shoe award for scoring five goals.
• In total, 44 goals were scored by 27 different players, with only one own goal (by Andrea Dossena against Brazil).
• The opening match and the final were both played at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg.
• Each team was represented in the draw by its competitor in the Miss World 2008 competition, except Iraq, which was represented by Miss World 2007 Zhang Zilin.