Tshabalala became the first ever player to score a goal in a World Cup hosted in Africa on 11 June 2010 when the whole country was behind the team to make the nation proud.
Shabba's 55th-minute thunder-strike against Mexico felt like it lifted the pressure off an entire nation, and Mphela says seeing the country united because of them is something that was unbelievable and amazing.
"It was an amazing experience to be part of, especially being amongst the 23 players," Mphela tells snl24.com/kickoff.
"It was an honour to be part of the team that united the country, seeing everyone supporting us, singing in one song, different cultures and races together."
The former Bafana Bafana marksman says it took Tshabalala's incredible finish for Mphela to finally believe what was happening in front of him.
"Walking in that tunnel at Soccer City, seeing the stadium packed, I couldn't believe it until that Shabba goal," Mphela says.
"That goal made me realise that it was actually not a dream, it's something that was happening in reality. I still can't explain it properly. That was my best moment of the whole World Cup."
Mexico came back to draw 1-1 and South Africa exited the tournament after the group stage after losing 3-0 to Uruguay in their second match, despite beating France 2-1 in Bloemfontein.