Country: South Africa
Nickname: Bafana Bafana
Manager: Carlos Alberto Perreira
FIFA Rank: 90 (Ref: FIFA.com, April 2010)
Group Opponents: Mexico, Uruguay, France (Group A)
World Cup Schedule:
Jun 11 vs. Mexico,
Jun 16 vs. Uruguay
Jun 22 vs. France
Jun 16 vs. Uruguay
Jun 22 vs. France
| Goalkeepers | |
| Itumeleng Khune | Kaizer Chiefs |
| Moeneeb Josephs | Orlando Pirates |
| Rowan Fernandez | Bieleveld (GER) |
| Defenders | |
| Matthew Booth | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| Siboniso Gaxa | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| Bongani Khumalo | SuperSport United |
| Tshepo Masilela | Maccabi Haifa (ISR) |
| Innocent Mdledle | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| Aaron Mokoena | Portsmouth (ENG) |
| Bryce Moon | PAOK (GRE) |
| Anele Ngcongca | Genk (BEL) |
| Siyabonga Sangweni | Golden Arrows |
| Lucas Thwala | Orlando Pirates |
| Midfielders | |
| Franklin Cale | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| Lance Davids | Ajax Cape Town |
| Kagisho Dikgacoi | Fulham (ENG) |
| Andile Jali | Orlando Pirates |
| Thanduyise Khuboni | Golden Arrows |
| Reneilwe Letsholonyane | Kaizer Chiefs |
| Teko Modise | Orlando Pirates |
| Surprise Moriri | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| Steven Pienaar | Everton (ENG) |
| Macbeth Sibaya | Rubin Kazan (RUS) |
| Simphiwe Tshabalala | Kaizer Chiefs |
| Forwards | |
| Katlego Mphela | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| Benni McCarthy | West Ham United (ENG) |
| Siyabonga Nomvete | Moroka Swallows |
| Bernard Parker | FC Twente (NED) |
Benni Mccarthy
Recent Form and News: South Africa,or the Rainbow nation, gained automatic qualification, but went through the qualification stages nonetheless, where they were knocked out in the second round. When South Africa hosted the Confederations’ Cup last year, the team made it to the semi finals, and showed commendable spirit against some of the bigger teams like Spain and Brazil. The Bafana Bafana held Brazil for most of the 90 minutes in the semis, but came undone after conceding a late free-kick. In the 3rd place playoff, too, they led Spain at one stage, before dramatically losing in extra-time. Their coach, Alberto Parreira, is one of only two coaches who has led four teams to the World Cup, and will equal the record of five teams when he leads South Africa into this year’s edition. He was the Brazilian coach when they won the 1994 edition in the United States.
The team’s form of late hasn’t been all that inspiring. If not for the automatic qualification as a host nation, it is very doubtful that they would have been involved on the big stage. Their only wins of late have come against Jamaica, Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea.
The favored instruments of the crowds, the vuvuzelas, created a minor ruckus with the FIFA, who almost banned the instruments, but later decided not to do so due to national and traditional sentiments.
South Africa are the hosts.
Author’s Comments: The host country will have to pull something special out of their hats even to get past the group stages. However, history has shown that playing at home has a huge advantage, as was seen by all when South Korea battled it all the way to the semis when they hosted the World Cup in 2002. History is indeed on their side, as a host nation has never been knocked out during the group stages of the tournament.
The most important players on the green for the hosts are captain and defender Aaron Mokoena, and Everton’s Steven Pienaar. Also to watch out for is Tsepo Masilela, whose foraging runs down the left flank are a treat to watch.
South Africa has appeared twice before in the World Cup (1998 and 2002), never progressing beyond the group stages. Though they have boasted of some decent results at the world stage, including draws with Denmark and Saudi Arabia in 1998, this time they will have their task cut out and will need something extraordinary to make it past the group stages.
No doubt however, that the country will mark the occasion with amazing enthusiasm and energy, as it is probably the biggest bonanza they have ever hosted in their troubled history
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