2010 FIFA World Cup - South Africa

2010 FIFA World Cup - South Africa National Team

2010 FIFA World Cup - South Africa National Team 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa National Team:
Goalkeepers:
1 Moneeb JOSEPHS, 16 Itumeleng KHUNE and 22 Shu-Aib WALTERS

Defenders:
2 Siboniso GAXA, 3 Tsepo MASILELA4 Aaron MOKOENA, 5 Anele NGCONGCA, 14 Matthew BOOTH, 15 Lucas THWALA, 20 Bongani KHUMALO and 21 Siyabonga SANGWENI

Midfielders:
6 MacBeth SIBAYA, 7 Lance DAVIDS, 8 Siphiwe TSHABALALA, 10 Steven PIENAAR, 11 Teko MODISE, 12 Reneilwe LETSHOLONYANE, 13 Kagisho DIKGACOI, 19 Surprise MORIRI and 23 Thanduyise KHUBONI

Forwards:
9 Katlego MPHELA, 17 Bernard PARKER and 18 Siyabonga NOMVETHE

Coach:
Carlos Alberto PARREIRA

Top Players Steven Pienaar (RSA) and Aaron Mokoena (RSA).

2010 FIFA World Cup Schedule & Scores

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.

Records

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.

South Africa - 2010 FIFA World Cup

2010 FIFA World Cup - South Africa