South Africa Team Profile – 2010 World Cup
South Africa – the country, the football
South Africa is the most southern country in the entire African continent. The 2,798 km coastlines of this austral territory are swept by the Indian and the Atlantic Oceans. South Africa has three neighboring countries to the north – Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Botswana. Mozambique and Swaziland are both placed to the east whereas independent Lesotho, oddly, is situated inside South Africa.
South Africa counts multiple tribes but the major ones, according to the country's history, have been the Xhosa and the Zulu. The entire people of South Africa endured much suffering under the rule of the Europeans which lasted for a very long period of time – with the eventual official abolition of the Apartheid marking the nation’s history like a tattoo.
Still, South Africans have preserved their culture and they’ll be keen to showcase it on the international stage when the World Cup comes to Africa next summer.The country's national soccer team, Bafana Bafana, tasted glory in the African Nations Cup in 1996 – something which went down as their greatest achievement in their history of football. However, hosting the whole planet for the first ever World Cup in Africa could arguably be called South Africa’s best moment in soccer.
South Africa – the road to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa
As much as is it easy to read this headline, it is easy to understand that South Africa qualified to the 2010 World Cup as the host nation. They consequently didn’t have to play matches to qualify for the event but there was still thrill, followed by excitement, as FIFA announced the victory of the country to stage the first ever World Cup in Africa.
South Africa’s road to the 2010 World Cup was long, ironically. A decade ago, they had planned to host the planet’s biggest sporting tournament but they succumbed to a narrow 11-12 defeat in the votes against Germany who subsequently went on to stage the 2006 World Cup.
Thabo Mbeki, then South Africa’s president at that time, described his country’s failure to win the bid as a total disappointment and a “setback to their efforts at gaining the recognition that Africa deserves in the international sporting community”.
In his speech referring to their loss, Thabo Mbeki declared:
“Next time, we will win.”
Indeed, South Africa had their moment in May 2004 as FIFA selected them ahead of African rivals Morocco.
How it happened
After coming close to staging football’s greatest competition in the 2000 elections, South Africa were tipped as favorites to win the right in 2004. After all, Sepp Blatter had decided that the World Cup would be carried out by an African nation on the African continent in 2010.
South Africa emerged 14-10 winners against Morocco only to inflict more disappointment on the Arabic nation (knowing that Morocco had failed three times previously). Meanwhile, Egypt didn’t have even one vote whereas Lybia’s bid to co-host the 2010 World Cup tournament was overshadowed by Tunisia’s withdrawal a day before the voting.
South Africa’s crime factor had always been a major concern but the southern country still managed to edge past Morocco who were especially disqualified for infrastructure worries. South Africa then became the first ever African country to host the World Cup and the moment of truth is the year 2010.
South Africa – 2010 World Cup group stages
Being the hosts of the 2010 World Cup tournament, South Africa were consequently drawn in Group A and also considered as the table’s top seeds. They offered the public a wonderful show to remember during the ceremony for the draws for the World Cup in Cape Town on December 4th.
However, will they be given a great start to their campaign when they play Mexico in Johannesburg on the opening day of the competition?
Match-day One: South Africa vs Mexico
A clash against CONCACAF champions Mexico is what awaits Carlos Parreira’s South African boys on June 11th at 14:00 GMT as the World Cup tournament will get underway. Bafana Bafana will be aware of the home crowd’s expectations, and they might build on what they experienced during the 2009 Confederations Cup to improve on their weaknesses.
Playing against El Tri is perhaps never easy, so taking away all three points from them will definitely come as a memorable dream start for South Africa’s national team as well as for the entire nation. This match, which will be staged at the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg, will certainly reveal Bafana Bafana’s level of readiness in their bid to make a good impression throughout the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Match-day Two: South Africa vs Uruguay
South Africa will then move to the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria where they should welcome South America play-off heroes Uruguay on June 16th at exactly 18:30 GMT. In terms of predictions, one may tip South Africa to triumph over Uruguay based on the quality of each team’s performances. However, South Africa’s Brazilian manager Carlos Alberto Parreira will not try to challenge his own beliefs by letting his boys allow complacency.
It seems like South Africa are very much aware of the importance and effect that each of their matches will have – not only on the squad, but also on the South African population, and the entire world. Moreover, Uruguay’s strength in mentality (which fired them from the play-off to the finals of the 2010 World Cup) will also serve as an alert to Bafana Bafana.
They might however benefit from the wisdom and experience of their manager, Carlos Alberto Parreira, who surely knows all about South American football.
Match-day Three: France vs South Africa
It should be an interesting encounter when South Africa face France on the last match-day in Group A. Despite having the home advantage, Bafana Bafana might enter this particular encounter as underdogs. Had it been a friendly, one may suggest that the South Africans have nothing to lose against Les Bleus – who have a big history of football behind them.
However, the public can expect South Africa to go all out in search of a victory – regardless the importance of the match on that day – knowing that honoring the host nation’s colors is a duty and a must. For South Africa, they’ll just hope that this game doesn’t mark their final goodbye to the biggest sporting event on the planet.
South Africa - 2010 World Cup squad
Goalkeepers:
Shu-Aib Walters; Itumeleng Khune; Moneeb Josephs
Defenders:
Aaron Mokoena; Matthew Booth; Tsepo Masilela; Anele Ngcongca; Bongani Khumalo; Siyabonga Sangweni; Siboniso Gaxa; Lucas Thwala
Midfielders:
Macbeth Sibaya; Surprise Moriri; Steven Pienaar; Lance Davids; Thanduyise Khuboni; Kagisho Dikgacoi; Siphiwe Tshabalala; Teko Modise; Reneilwe Letsholonyane
Strikers:
Bernard Parker; Katlego Mphela; Siyabonga Nomvete
West Ham's Benny McCarthy was the biggest omission from Carlos Alberto Parreira's squad.
South Africa – Expectations from the country and the men to watch
At the 2010 World Cup, the mission of Bafana Bafana will be all about making the South African nation proud by sacrificing all of their mind, heart, and soul.
In previous attempts, the finals of the World Cup didn’t favor them much. South Africa had to swallow bitter disappointment during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. A hard-fought draw against Paraguay in the first game was followed by a vital win against Slovenia. Bafana Bafana only needed a draw in the last match of the group stages to qualify into the last sixteen.
Unfortunately, from a South Africa fan point of view, Raul sank their chances as he scored the winner for Spain in a five-goal thriller. Four years before that in 1998, the story was quite similar and South Africa’s first ever qualification into the finals of a World Cup turned into an experience to rather forget.
They were paired against France (who were then the host nation), Denmark, and Saudi Arabia. In their first ever World Cup match, an own-goal from Issa in between two other goals from Les Bleus rounded up a miserable 3-0 defeat for the South Africans. They then held Denmark to what could have been a meaningful 1-1 draw. However, they needed to win their last match of the group stage by a great margin but they failed to do so. Bartlett’s double was just not enough to fire South Africa into the next round. They bowed out from the 1998 World Cup with only two points from three matches.
This time, South Africa will have the opportunity to raise their standard to a higher level as they’ll be playing on their own soil. More pleasure than pressure then, but the job will still be left there to fulfill and Bafana Bafana fans will look upon certain names to live up to expectations.
Carlos Alberto Parreira
He is considered as the motor of the South African national team. Having led minnows like Kuwait on good paths during his coaching career, the 66-years-old Brazilian manager is expected to work out all of his knowledge on the relatively young South African squad.
After resigning in 2008, Carlos Alberto Parreira was re-appointed as coach of Bafana Bafana earlier in October 2009, much to the disagreement of several supporters. Therefore, he will need to prove his worth in order to show South African fans that he has the right to be considered as the best man for this managerial post.
Carlos Alberto Parreira has a 10-4-8 (wins-draws-losses) record in the World Cup, having enjoyed five appearances there. The manager has never won the World Cup trophy but he might do so with South Africa on African soil.
Steven Pienaar
He incarnates South Africa’s creativity in attack. His quick feet are the source of guilt against defenders as he makes of the flanks his own territory. Miserably for South African fans, their star is not a scoring machine. They’ll just hope that his lack of abilities in front of goal doesn’t come at the detriment of South Africa’s World Cup wishes.
South Africa – Relevant quotes
South Africa coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira: Let’s play with pride and courage
“We [South Africa] definitely have the most open group, up against two former world champions – France and Uruguay. I realize that the mission had seemed difficult but we are ready to tackle it head-on, with pride and courage.
“A tough challenge awaits us but we are capable of meeting it if we put in the hard work in the run-up. […] Winning the opening match is always crucial for morale.”
South Africa playmaker, Steven Pienaar: Fans will make us confident
“For us to go to the second round, that is the expectation of the people. I think we can get out of the group. Mexico and Uruguay play quite similar to us. Only France will be a bit of challenge for us.
“The crowd will boost the players, and we will be confident with them behind us… we hope they’ll be behind us.”
South Africa – World Cup record
South Africans definitely cannot boast about their World Cup history. Two appearances and two first rounds exist. Number three could be the perfect moment for South Africa to reach beyond the group stages of the World Cup and get carried all the way in a wonderful experience at home.
2010: Qualified as hosts
2002, 1998: Round 1
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