Group A
Manager: Carlos Alberto Parreira
Star Player : Aaron Mokoena
Best result: 1st round (1998, 2002)
All-time record: 6 games played, 1 win, 3 draws, 2 losses
Goals for: 8, Goals against: 11
Biggest victory: 1-0 vs. Slovenia in 2002
Biggest defeat: 3-0 vs. France in 1998
Top scorer: Benni McCarthy, Shaun Bartlett (2 goals)
Most appearances: Benni McCarthy, Lucas Radebe, Quinton Fortune (6 matches)
Hosted the World Cup: 2010
LIVE STREAM SOUTH AFRICA MATCHES :
June 11, 2010 @ 15:00BST Group Stage Group A
South Africa vs Mexico
at Soccer City Stadium
June 16, 2010 @ 19:30BST Group Stage Group A
South Africa vs Uruguay
at Loftus Versfeld Stadium
June 22, 2010 @ 15:00BST Group Stage Group A
France vs South Africa
at Free State Stadium
Short History of SA:
FIFA member since: 1992Team nickname: Bafana Bafana
All-time caps leader: Aaron Mokoena (90)
All-time leading scorer: Benni McCarthy (31)
Notable achievements: African Nations Cup Champions (1996)
Legendary Player: Nicknamed the Black Prince of South African soccer, Jomo Sono was a star player in the North American Soccer League who went on to serve as coach of the South Africa's national team at the 2002 World Cup.
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GK Rowen FERNANDEZ
GK Moneeb JOSEPH
GK Itumeleng KHUNE
GK Shu-Aib WALTERS
Matthew BOOTH
Franklyn CALE
Lance DAVIDS
Kagisho DIKGACOI
Bevan FRANSMAN
Siboniso GAXA
Andile JALI
Thanduyise KHUBONI
Bongani KHUMALO
Reneilwe LETSHOLONYANE
Tsepo MASILELA
Benni McCARTHY
Innocent MDLEDLE
Teko MODISE
Aaron MOKOENA
Bryce MOON
Surprise MORIRI
Katlego MPHELA
Anele NGCONGCA
Siyabonga NOMVETHE
Bernard PARKER
Steven PIENAAR
Siyabonga SANGWENI
MacBeth SIBAYA
Lucas THWALA
Siphiwe TSHABALALA
GK Moneeb JOSEPH
GK Itumeleng KHUNE
GK Shu-Aib WALTERS
Matthew BOOTH
Franklyn CALE
Lance DAVIDS
Kagisho DIKGACOI
Bevan FRANSMAN
Siboniso GAXA
Andile JALI
Thanduyise KHUBONI
Bongani KHUMALO
Reneilwe LETSHOLONYANE
Tsepo MASILELA
Benni McCARTHY
Innocent MDLEDLE
Teko MODISE
Aaron MOKOENA
Bryce MOON
Surprise MORIRI
Katlego MPHELA
Anele NGCONGCA
Siyabonga NOMVETHE
Bernard PARKER
Steven PIENAAR
Siyabonga SANGWENI
MacBeth SIBAYA
Lucas THWALA
Siphiwe TSHABALALA
Want to Know More About South Africa ? Read More !!
Appearances at finals:
1998 - First round
2002 - First round
Overall record at finals: Played 6, Won 1, Draw 3, Lost 2.
Best performance: First round in 1998 and 2002.
Most appearances at finals: Lucas Radebe (1998, 2002), Quinton Fortune (1998, 2002), Benni McCarthy (1998, 2002) - 6.
Most goals at finals: Benni McCarthy (1998, 2002), Shaun Bartlett (1998) - 2.
World Cup high: Their first ever finals victory at their second tournament appearance in 2002, beating Slovenia 1-0 with a Siyabonga Nomvethe goal the difference between the sides.
World Cup low: Bafana Bafana's embarrassing failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, finishing third in their qualification group behind Ghana and Congo DR, after having been named hosts of the 2010 tournament.
World Cup legend: Benni McCarthy is the country's record goal-scorer and second most capped player, with 31 goals in 76 appearances. He scored at the 1998 and 2002 tournaments against Denmark and Spain respectively.
The story so far: The history of the South African football team, like the country itself, has been greatly affected by the system of apartheid. The enforced racial segregation of the country was hugely contentious and numerous attempts were made to suspend the national side from FIFA because the country's constitution prohibited the fielding of racially mixed teams. But South Africa, along with Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan, were one of the founding members of the Confederation of African Football and continued to escape expulsion because of a widespread reluctance for FIFA to become embroiled in political matters.
They were suspended from FIFA competition in 1966 but, after the violence of the Soweto uprising in 1976, a horrified FIFA finally expelled South Africa and the national team would not play again for 16 years. In 1991, as apartheid drew to a close, a new multi-racial South African Football Association was born and the new team played its first game against Cameroon in 1992, winning 1-0. Four years later, hosting and competing in their first African Nations Cup as a multi-racial side, Bafana Bafana lifted the trophy and were joined in celebration by an overjoyed Nelson Mandela.
They went on to play in the 1998 World Cup in France and, after being soundly beaten 3-0 by the hosts in their first ever finals match, South Africa went on to earn admirable draws against Denmark and Saudi Arabia, but finished in third place in the group, two points behind the Danes.
At the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, an improved South Africa side were agonisingly close to making the second round, missing out to Paraguay on goals scored. A 2-2 draw with the South Americans in the first game was followed up by a first finals victory, a 1-0 win over Slovenia. In their final game against Spain, Bafana Bafana twice came from behind but were denied by a Raul goal as Jose Antonio Camacho's side narrowly triumphed 3-2. A disappointing failure to qualify for the 2006 finals followed but in 2004 it had been announced that, in 2010, South Africa would become the first African country to host the World Cup.
Qualification: As hosts, South Africa qualified for the tournament automatically but did play a number of friendlies while qualification was taking place. They were involved in the first stage of African qualifying with a place at the 2010 African Nations Cup at stake but finished 11 points adrift of Nigeria in the group, missing out on a place at the tournament.
It has been a tumultuous time for Bafana Bafana and, although they performed creditably at the Confederations Cup - losing in the semi-finals to Brazil and the third place play-off to European Championship winners Spain by just a single goal - they continued to crash to defeat after defeat in friendlies, which eventually saw the sacking of boss Joel Santana and the re-appointment of former boss Carlos Parreira.
Qualifying record (second round): P6, W2, D1, L3, F5, A5, Pts7.
Confederations Cup record: P5, W1, D1, L3, F4, A6.
Most appearances: Kagisho Dikgacoi (11).
Top goalscorer: Kagisho Dikgacoi, Katlego Mphela, Bernard Parker (2).
Team Profile South Africa: SA
There is an air of cautious optimism in South Africa as the Rainbow Nation prepares to write what is undoubtedly the most significant chapter of its short football history. A mammoth task lies ahead.
Recent years have brought ample disappointments, but Bafana Bafana have also shown, albeit in patches, that - given motivation and purpose - they can be a potent threat. And there can be no greater motivation than representing their country in a FIFA World Cup™ on home soil.
In 1996, four years after their readmission to international football, South Africa shot to prominence and stunned the African continent by claiming their maiden CAF Africa Cup of Nations trophy against Tunisia at Soccer City in Johannesburg. How ironic that, 16 years later, South Africa will return to the venue where they achieved this first major success, aiming to rewrite the script on an even bigger stage.
Their gallant performance at the FIFA Confederations Cup last June, when they lost narrowly to Brazil in the semi-finals and to Spain in the third place play-off, should certainly serve as a chilling reminder to their detractors that this team, when stretched to its potential, cannot be underestimated. That tournament witnessed several impressive performances strung together by the hosts, and ultimately it was only their inability to convert cleverly-tailored moves into goals that led to their demise.
The road to South Africa
South Africa, by virtue of their role as hosts, gained automatic qualification.
The star players
Talented midfield maestro Steven Pienaar is South Africa's prize assert. In the absence of the country's most successful striker, Benni McCarthy, who remains out of favour, Pienaar brings much-needed innovation and imagination to the side.
Since his arrival at Everton, Pienaar has reinvented himself and matured as an all-round player. While he continues to polarise opinion in his native country, no-one in South Africa disputes the confidence he exudes on the field and his ability to inject inspiration into the team's play. His performances during the FIFA Confederations Cup were yet another reminder that he will be key to any South African success in 2010.
Yet arguably just as vital to the Bafana Bafana cause are two players who have laboured tirelessly and effectively with little recognition: wingbacks Siboniso Gaxa and the enterprising Tsepho Masilela.
The coach
Now in his second stint as a South Africa coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira's return was greeted with mixed feelings in South Africa, although the Brazilian's many supporters are adamant that he is the man to lead this side to the ‘Promised Land' in 2010. Parreira certainly has the pedigree, having led his native country to the beautiful game's ultimate prize at the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA. The extensively-travelled coach also brings a wealth of experience, which should prove vital in revitalising a South African side struggling with some significant pre-tournament problems. However, Parreira will be hoping to avoid the difficulties he endured during an inauspicious first spell as head coach, which witnessed him fail to lead South Africa beyond the first round at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.
Previous FIFA World Cups
South Africa have failed to make it beyond the group stages in either of their two previous FIFA World Cup appearances. Clearly, this is a situation they will be desperate to remedy. Their first appearance was in France 1998, six years after they had been readmitted to the global football family. Despite a 3-0 drubbing to France in their opening game, they went on to put a decent show against Denmark and Saudi Arabia, drawing against both. Korea/Japan 2002 was expected to be an opportunity for Bafana Bafana to step up to the next level but, ultimately, they flattered to deceive, crashing out after the group stage despite beating Slovenia 1-0 for their first-ever FIFA World Cup win.
Record
* This is South Africa's third appearance at the FIFA World Cup. Their first participation was at France 1998 and they also qualified for Korea/Japan 2002.
* Benni McCarthy scored the country's first goal at the FIFA World Cup in a 1-1 draw against Denmark on 18 June 1998.
* South Africa's incumbent captain, Aaron Mokoena remains the country's most capped player.
* South Africa hosted and won the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 at their first attempt, beating Tunisia 2-0 in Johannesburg's Soccer City. They went on to finish as runners-up at the following edition in 1998, losing to Egypt 2-0 in the final.
What they said
"We are all aware that it is a huge honour to play in a World Cup on home soil; not many players have had such a privilege. We are also aware of the task that lies ahead. For us, the World Cup is our priority, it's our biggest goal. We need to represent our country with pride," Aaron Mokoena, South Africa captain.
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