The South African national soccer team, also known as Bafana bafana, is the current host of both the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and the big event, 2010 Fifa world cup. One thing you have to understand about South African football is that it has been through many challenges, ever since the time of racism in the country. You can read more on soccer history in South Africa. But despite all the ups and downs this team has been through because of the political nature of the country, bafana bafana have been able to prove their worth and this even led the country to hosting one of the most watched and televised tournaments in the world: 2010 Fifa world cup.
One of the most surprising things about ‘the boys’, as they are also called, is that when they first hosted the 1996 African Nations Cup, they also won it in the same year!! Isn’t that great or what! Imagine the first time you host a competition and you go ahead and win it! That was quite a splendid job by the South African National Team. Something else that you might have never known about bafana bafana is that their biggest win was against Australia, in Adelaide, Australia. The score was 8-0. But this was way back in 1955. Anyway, that’s still a large score but may be the game had just been introduced because soccer (or football) was invented by the English. Their worst defeat was against the same Australia, where they were beaten 5-1. Well it seemed the Australians were out to pay back for the embarrassment they had received.
Enough about history, let’s look at some prominent players. One of them happens to be the captain and the most capped South African player, Aaron Mokoena. He plays in the backline and is currently playing in the English premier league with Blackburn Rovers. He brings to the squad a lot of experience as he started representing his country in 1999. I guess he would be happy to celebrate 10 years of representing his country in international soccer competitions by winning the Fifa Confederations Cup. Alongside him will be his Blackburn teammate and striker, Bennie McCarthy. This is one of the lethal African strikers who are in the premier league. If you give him a little room, he can do wonders! Surprisingly, he is also the current top scorer of the bafana bafana with 31 goals for his country. He will be one of the players many South Africans will be looking to deliver when things get a little tough. Another young talent that is less heard of is the Everton midfield player, Steven Pienaar. I have seen this kid play and he is so fast and has great control skills. He is able to manoeuvre round large players (as he does in the English premier league quite often). His shots are on target may at times cause the goalkeeper to be warned! His passes are also accurate and he is able to setup strikers at the right position and time. I believe with the combination of Pienaar and McCarthy and all they experience they bring from one of the most competitive leagues in the world, they would be able to carry South Africa into lifting the Fifa Confederations Cup. Some of the other players are Bradley Carnell, Morgan Gould, Lance Davids, Thulasizwe Mbuyane, Bernard Parker and many others in the squad.
So as we await for the Confederations Cup to start, we hope and pray that the host will not let their country down, now that they are hosting both the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and also the 2010 Fifa World Cup. They will be led by Brazilian coach, Joel Santana.
Spanish National Team
English National Team
Egyptian National Team
Brazilian National Team
Italian National Team
Are you planning to go to South Africa for the world cup? Will you make a stop over in Kenya? Will you need to hire a car?
If you will, click here to book the vehicle. The vehicle can carry up to 8 passengers.
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