In the previous World Cup finals back in 2006 where Germany were the hosts, the Germans were being touted as one of the worst host nations ever on paper, tipped to flop right from the outset. Michael Ballack and Co later went on to finish as a losing semi-finalist to the dismay of the viewing public and their many earlier critics. South Africa were elected as the hosts for the 2010 World Cup and they make the German team of 2006 look like world beaters in comparison, so just who will represent the hosts on the their own turf?

There is always an enormous, unparalleled if you like, pressure on the host nation, not just to put on a good show for the millions of global spectators, a well prepared and organised tournament, but to achieve a decent run in the prestigious tournament themselves. With South Africa however, that doesn’t look likely and the concerns surrounding the hosts has been apparent for quite some time. They did, however, surprise many with their antics in the World Cup prep tournament, finishing in fourth place in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, but the then manager, Joel Santana, later went on to lose his job after a run of poor results in friendlies, with Carlos Alberto Parreira taking over. The Brazilian has a wealth of managerial experience and his first serious job in charge of the South Africa nation team was to name a squad capable of at least making it out of Group A.

So, on Tuesday 11th May, Parreria named a provisional squad containing 29 South Africa players, and to say a large portion of them ring very few bells would be putting it lightly. The obvious highlight was West Ham forward Benni McCarthy. The former Blackburn striker is the country’s most prolific goalscorer with 35 goals in 78 appearances although has rarely featured for his new club through injuries. The South Africa captain, Aaron Mokeona, formerly of Blackburn Rovers but now a part of the Portsmouth side which was recently relegated from the Premiership, Fulham’s Kagisho Dikagcoi and Everton’s Steven Pienaar are the only Premiership inclusions in Parreria’s squad, with 19 plying their trade in the South African Premier League – A severe lack of big club experience looks a massive area of concern.

In all, just 10 players of Carlos Alverto Parreria‘s 29-man short-list are employed across Europe meaning a large section of his team haven’t had the benefit of playing on some of Europe’s elite divisions, against some of the world’s bets players and making use of some to-rate training facilities.

Carlos Alberto Parreria‘s first task will be to have South Africa fit and raring to go by the 11th June when they kick-off the tournament, hopefully in style, against Mexico. South Africa will later take on Uruguay and 1998 FIFA World Cup winners France.

South Africa 29-man Provisional Squad:

Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khune, Moeneeb Josephs, Shu-Aib Walters, Rowen Fernandez

Defenders: Matthew Booth, Siboniso Gaxa, Innocent Mdledle, Bongani Khumalo, Tsepo Masilela, Aaron Mokoena, Bryce Moon, Anele Ngcongca, Siyabonga Sangweni, Lucas Thwala

Midfielders: Surprise Moriri, Franklin Cale, Lance Davids, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Andile Jali, Teko Modisa, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Thanduyise Khuboni, Steven Pienaar, MacBeth Sibaya

Forwards: Benni McCarthy, Katlego Mphela, Siyabonga Nomvethe, Bernard Parker

With 31 players from the Premier League involved in the African Cup of nations, the terrible tragedy of the attack on the Togo team bus, has lead clubs to call for their players to come back. Togo and Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor was on the bus that was attacked with gunfire, but escaped without physical injury. But because of the tragedy, Toga has decided to pull out from the African Cup of Nations. World Cup boss Danny Jordaan has insisted that there is nothing to be fearful of in terms of safety surrounding the 2010 World Cup, despite the ramifications that this attack will have brought about. If everything stopped after tragedies, then nothing positive would ever get accomplished. Togo’s first match in the African Cup of Nations would have been against Ghana on Monday.

The African Cup of Nations, started on Sunday, January 10th with a match between hosts Angola and Mali, which ended in an incredible 4-4 draw, gave a glimpse of just how exciting African football is. The CAF, the governing body of African football has pressed ahead with the tournament, although it is likely that 2010 will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Still, with the cream of African football on display in Angola, it does offer a good insight into how the top African nations may fare at the World Cup 2010. Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Algeria and Cameroon are all heading down to South Africa in June for the World Cup, and the England management staff, as well as other nations and scouts from club levels, will no doubt be keeping a keen eye on the competition. Here we will take a look at just how this valuable preparation can be for the African teams involved in the World Cup. Unlike most other nations in the World Cup, the Africans have the chance to play competitive football.

IVORY COAST – 28/1 at BetFred
Group G: Brazil, Korea DPR, Ivory Coast, Portugal
Their star player is Chelsea’s Didier Drogba of course. They are seen as Africa’s strongest hopes in getting to the World Cup finals. How realistic that is though, remains to be seen. They got the roughest draw of the African nations, being lined up in a group alongside Brazil and Portugal. Their opening World Cup match against Portugal, could be the crunch one of the group, as many will expect that will almost be a second place play-off. The Ivory Coast failed to make too much of an impact in their last World Cup outing, but should be a lot stronger this time around. It didn’t help that they were in a group with Holland and Argentine, and again then have gotten the short straw by being in the same group as Brazil and Portugal. Still, Les Elephants can be more than a handful themselves, and as favourites for the African Cup of Nations, if they win that, they will have a lot to build upon. Qualification for the World Cup was a breeze for them, with Didier Drogba in the thick of things, banging in six goals in five qualification matches. They have big names playing across Europe and if they can get their noses in front by beating Portugal in their opening match, they could be good quality for at least a quarter final visit.

GHANA – 80/1 at Totesport
Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana
Michael Essien is the stand out player in the Ghana side, as well as being arguably one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. The Black Stars are probably a more accomplished side than the Ivory Coast. The difference between Ghana and the other African nations, is that they play probably less of an attacking, but more of an accomplished all round game. They made the biggest impact at Germany 2006, despite losing to both Germany and Italy, and the midfield is where they are strongest. Essien contributes a lot of that, and that is the strengths they should play for. They do have quality up front as well, but probably play the tightest game of the African participants. They have won the African Cup of Nations four times in their history, and they got stronger through qualification for the World Cup as it went. They can seriously challenge for the African Cup of Nations along with Ivory Coast, and they are growing in stature and ability. They were a young side at Germany 2006, and are therefore much more experienced. A good draw in the group stages for them, and if they hit the ground running, they can be dangerous.

ALGERIA – 500/1 at Paddy Power
Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia
Arguably the weakest of the African nations in the World Cup, but they did beat African Cup of Nations champions Egypt in a play-off to reach the finals. It has been a while since they have been on the world stage, and have landed a relatively nice draw in England’s World Cup Group. They should be able to make some kind of challenge against the USA and Slovenia. They have won the African Cup of Nations once, and their last World Cup appearance was at Mexico ‘86. They qualified the hard way for the world cup, looking impressive at home, but not so good away. They will probably be outclassed by England, and Slovenia should have the technical ability to play through them. May prove to be more stubborn opponents than creating any great upsets, as in truth they probably aren’t as strong as the team they stepped over to reach the World Cup finals, Egypt.

CAMEROON – 110/1 at SkyBet
Group E: Holland, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
We all know about Cameroon and the colour and flair they have brought to World Cup tournaments in the past. Who can forget England’s classic match against them in the quarter final of 1990, with the likes of Roger Milla and Omam Biyik in the side. They were all about attacking then, playing with a passionate and carefree flow, and much of that ethos still remains today. They are the highest ranked team from the African continent according to FIFA, and have the ability to create danger for a lot of teams again. They haven’t managed to break out of the group stages though in their previous three attempts at the World Cup, but like Ivory Coast, a win at the African Cup of Nations will instil a lot of belief. This is the advantage of playing competitive football ahead of a World Cup. They were the beaten finalists in the previous African Cup of Nations, losing to Egypt, and they qualified for South Africa easily enough. They have a good mix of experience and youth, and with Samuel Eto’o up front, there is always a chance for some goals (he hit 9 in 11 qualifying matches).

NIGERIA – 100/1 at Boylesports
Group B: Argetina, Korea Republic, Nigeria, Greece
Seem to be flying under the radar a bit, especially when compared to the hype surrounding Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Ghana. There is a good reason for this, the Nigerians are not as good as they used to be. The Super Eagles were the top African side for some time, but their most recent World Cup performances have left little to bring about too much hope of a revival anytime soon. They struggled with qualification for South Africa 2010, quite surprisingly. They had to rely on other results going their way, and is a mark of just how much they have fallen behind on the African Continent. They are being tipped to make a mark in the African Cup of Nations, but when it comes to the World Cup, it is a different matter completely in terms of class. Chelsea’s Jon Obi Mikel will be the centre point in the midfield, and one thing about them, is that they can score goals. In fact, they have quite an attack minded team. That will probably mean plenty of gaps at the back for their opponents to expose though.

SOUTH AFRICA – 150/1 at Coral
The host nation, sadly are not in any great form ahead of the World Cup. The World Cup itself, generally needs the host nation to stay in, as it just adds to the whole vibe of the proceedings. That is often the pitfall of hosting the tournament, as you don’t have to qualify, there is lack of competitive football building up to the big event. While this World Cup will historically be the first on African soil, it is hard to see South Africa making any kind of impact. They have looked a long way short in the few friendly games they played last year, they have changed coach, but they still do not look much of a threat. Maybe when the home crowd are behind them, some of their desire and motivation may translate into some extra effort and skill. After being in the international football wilderness for a long time, when they came back they won the African Cup of Nations at their first try, brining a great deal of hope to the Rainbow Nation. But things never developed quite as well, and they never really built on that success. They did battle well in the FIFA Confederations cup last year, held in South Africa and that will give the home fans some hope, although they know that they will need to develop a cutting edge up front. Everton’s Steven Pienaar is the fulcrum of the side, but they will have a tough time getting out of their group.

While it may be a stretch that one of the African sides are going to win the tournament, you can comfort yourself with a good bet on the Top African Side at World Cup 21010:
Ivory Coast – Evens at Totesport
Ghana – 9/2 at SkyBet
Nigeria – 11/2 at Victor Chandler
South Africa – 16/1 at Totesport
Algeria – 40/1 at SkyBet

Joel Santana and South Africa have apparently decided to 'go their separate ways' but it would appear as though the Brazilian has been relived of his duties after a drastic run of results at the South African helm. Since Santana guided Bafana-Bafana to a fourth placed finish at the Confederations Cup earlier in the year, a much better display then many had anticipated, South Africa have gone on to lose five of their last six internationals. Their only victory since the tournament came against Madagascar, one of the poorest nations competing in international football.

It has come as little surprise that the board aren't happy but to sack the coach, just months before they host the biggest sporting spectacle on the planet, could be seen a tad extreme to say the least. Joel Santana has already proved that he can bring the best out of his players on the big stage and, although results haven't gone their way recently, we mustn't forget that they were just friendlies and results in friendlies compared to those in major competitive games is a completely different ball game.

The South African Football Association obviously felt urgent action was needed and they have wasted little time in handing Santana his marching orders, just a little over a week after South Africa lost 1-0 in Iceland. The SAFA also mentioned that it was crucial that the country puts in a solid performance both on and off the pitch and this was the sole reason as to why Joel Santana was removed from his post.

A replacement is expected to be named later this week, although it remains to be seen who will actual take up the post in what does look a poison chalice as the hopes of the nations and the eyes of the world will be watching South Africa when the 2010 World Cup kicks-off later next year.

Once we hear of the replacement, we will let you all know.

Argentina – 10/1 BlueSquare

Australia – 100/1 totesport

Brazil – 5/1 PaddyPower

Chile – 50/1 Boylesports 

Denmark – 100/1 SportingBet 

England – 7/1 Coral 

Germany – 12/1 Bet365 

Ghana – 80/1 SkyBet 

Honduras – 500/1 SkyBet 

Italy – 14/1 StanJames 

Ivory Coast – 33/1 SkyBet 

Japan – 200/1 Boylesports 

Mexico – 125/1 Coral 

Netherlands – 14/1 Bet365 

North Korea – 1000/1 SportingBet 

Paraguay – 66/1 Coral 

Serbia – 66/1 SportingBet 

Slovakia – 250/1 SkyBet 

South Africa (Hosts) – 150/1 Coral 

South Korea – 300/1 Coral 

Spain – 9/2 Bet365 

Switzerland – 150/1 Boylesports 

United States – 125/1 Coral

Ante-Post Tips:

Backing one of the frontrunners is pretty pointless right now as their respective price won’t alter too much between now and the finals. However, having a cheeky punt on one of the outsiders could prove beneficial.

Our Value Bets:

USA – They are always an awkward opponent and they will cause one of the big teams a problem as they aren’t one of the top seeds, rightly so. They will have every chance of bypassing any group they may get but as far as winning the tournament goes, we can’t see that happening at all. The US are probably a good trading opportunity but we couldn’t feel safe backing them to go all the way.

PRICE: 125/1 Coral

Ivory Coast – I really like the look of this Ivory Coast squad, with Chelsea’s Didier Drogba their most influential and best player. He is the captain, as well, and he will be the driving force in the Ivory Coast’s bid to secure their first ever World Cup success in just their second appearance in a World Cup. However, they aren’t a one man band, with the likes of Didier Zokora, Salmon Kalou, Gervinho, Emmanuel Eboue and the Toure brothers; Yaya and Kolo. They are a team full of pace and strength and we think they’re a stunning price to go far in this summer show-piece, on a continent they will be more than accomplished on.

PRICE: 33/1 SkyBet

Drogba to the rescue as Ivory Coast seal their spot in the finals…

Although Ivory Coast dropped their first points in qualifying, the 1-1 draw away in Malawi was enough to book their place in South Africa for the finals next summer. However, it wasn’t without a few scares along the way, or at the final hurdle anyway, with Malawi leading up till the 63^rd minute until, surprise-surprise, Chelsea’s Didier Drogba came off the bench to not only rescue some Ivory pride but also send the travelling fans into raptures as the team, in their famous bright orange shirts, hung on to secure the point they needed to secure a top spot finish.

That was Didier Drogba’s sixth goal of this qualifying campaign, and he’s scored over a third of Ivory Coast’s goals in qualifying, with his importance to the team evident. However, Ivory Coast do actually boast an array of worldwide talent, with the likes of; Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue & Saloman Kalou, all plying their trade with Cote D’Ivoire, as they’re known to some.

This will be just their second appearance in a World Cup, although several will remember their gutsy performances in their last World Cup, 2006, which seen them fall short in a terribly tough group which consisted of Argentina, Netherlands & Serbia, of which Ivory Coast narrowly lost to both the group favourites in Argentina & Netherlands, losing both encounters 2-1, whilst they beat Serbia 3-2.

There were clear signs of intent back in 2006 that Ivory Coast were a nation on the up, in terms of football, and their performances in qualifying, recording four wins from five and remaining unbeaten throughout, will mean that they will be a dangerous opponent for most, and a potentially great outside value punt for the 2010 World Cup in their home continent of Africa.

It will all be about the preparation now but manager, Vahid Halihodzic, will have one qualifier left to experiment with formations and tactics and, providing their key players stay away from the injury table, Ivory Coast could be a big player at the forthcoming World Cup.

Ivory Coast Outright Odds: 40/1 VictorChandler

Italy were the last team to hold aloft the much coveted Jules Rimet Trophy, after their less than innovative, but nonetheless industrious World Cup campaign in Germany 2006. The final itself will likely be remembered for one of the most infamous moments in World Cup history. Ranking up there alongside Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ incident in Mexico ‘86, Zinidane Zidane’s head butt into the chest of Italian defender Marco Materazzi will long be remembered. The final itself was concluded in a penalty shoot out, with the Italians prevailing 5-3. In just under a year’s time the excitement will be starting up all over again.

For the first time the tournament heads to the African continent, and it is the first time that a continental rotation has system has been used to select the host nation. For the 2010 and 2014 tournaments the continental system will continue. Only nations from the African continent were allowed to bid for the 2010 tournament, and only nations from South America were accepted for the 2014 tournament (which will be in Brazil after they were the only official bidders). After that, any country not from Africa and South America will be able to enter a bid for the 2018 World Cup. The continental system arose after some controversy arising over Germany winning the honour of becoming hosts for the 2006 tournament, with South Africa then being expected to win it. One member of the council, who had been instructed to vote for South Africa by his federation, abstained from voting. This would have caused a score draw in the votes, leaving FIFA President Sepp Blatter with the ultimate decision. He was believed to have favoured South Africa.

But still, South Africa now have their turn and will look to put on a show to wow the world, after beating off competition from Morocco and Egypt. The tournament will be hosted in 10 Stadia across the nation in 9 host cities. Soccer City Stadium, which, for a long time was the only football stadium in Johannesburg, will host the final on July 11th, as well as the opening game of course, which will be on June 11, 2010.

Stadia in use for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa:

• Green Point Stadium, Cape Town.
• Moses Mabhiba Stadium, Durban.
• Ellis Park, Johannesburg.
• Soccer City, Johannesburg.
• Free State Stadium, Mangaung/Bloemfontein.
• Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth
• Mbombela, Nelspruit
• Peter Mokaba, Polokwane
• Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
• Loftus Versfeld, Tshwane/Pretoria

South Africa only returned to the world stage of soccer 15 years ago, after nearly thirty years of exclusion due to the politics of apartheid which gripped the country. Before that period they had only appeared in 22 full international games. Since their re-emergence, the nation has instilled a sense of pride back into the national game by reaching two world cups. This has helped them secure their position on the world stage, and along with the emergence from the apartheid regime, the country has been embraced across the globe, with the unmistakable face of Nelson Mandella at the fore of many campaigns to get South Africa noticed for the right reason.

The progression of the country is trying to be emulated by Brazilian World Cup winner Carlos Alberto Parreira, who has the task of making the nation football team a force to be reckoned with as hosts. There is always a lot of pressure on the host nation to perform well, because it helps to solidify the popularity of the tournament. The longer the host nation stays in the tournament, the more interest there will be from the locals. That is something which adds that extra special factor to the atmosphere of any tournament, the locals roaring on the host nation as football fever sweeps the nation.

The steps forward the nation has taken in terms of football can be seen across Europe. More and more South African stars are emerging and making names for themselves in the English Premiership (where captain Aaron Mokoena, plays for Blackburn Rovers), Germany, Holland, Belgium and other European nations, where the standard of football is regarded to be a little higher and more competitive than in South Africa itself. This is a good benchmark by which to judge the state of the national side.

While the national side may be relative newcomers to the global game, the first South African team was formed way back in 1879, and played matches against teams created by British military, and the team itself was formed mostly from European immigrants. Just a few years later a league was formed in Natal, with four team, which rapidly grew to ten within one year. It was not many years after that, in 1897 when a national team was gathered for the inaugural tour by a European team. Corinthians from England toured three times in the space of ten years, giving rise to and competition for, the national South African football team.

Professional football hit the nation in 1959 as a national league was formed. None of those originating twelve clubs exist in the modern age, but the inaugural season was a huge success, and in 1971 the National Professional Soccer League took over, which exists today under a different name, that of the Premier Soccer League. Finally putting all the problems of race behind it, 1991 saw the formation of the South African Football Association, which brought together the different organisations in existence across the country. This paved the way for the country to be accepted into FIFA, meaning that once more South Africa could play for national pride upon the world stage.

Now the nation has a chance to stand on the head and shoulders of the world and make history with the first World Cup in Africa. The stadiums are in place and the fixture schedule has been released. With teams still fighting it out for qualification places to make it to South Africa 2010, the excitement is building within the country, with just under a year to go. While the unknown elements of what the tournament will bring, being helpful towards building anticipation, one thing that is almost guaranteed, is the colour and cultural flavour that South Africa as a nation will be able to bring to the festivities of the world cup.
 

Manager: Carlos Alberto Perreira
Captain: Aaron Mokoena
FIFA World Ranking: 90
World Cup Appearances: 2
Bets World Cup: Round 1

South Africa Article

South Africa Team Profile

South Africa were granted their first ever World Cup when FIFA gave the continent the go-ahead to host the greatest footballing tournament on earth. The eyes of the world will be on South Africa and with great responsibility comes added pressure. Danny Jordan is the man employed to organise the world cup and ensure it’s ready on time to deliver a unique sporting spectacle. This will be South Africa‘s first ever taste of World Cup football as the hosts and they will want to leave their mark and ensure the travelling fans leave the continent with happy memories, regardless of how well their country does.

Despite problems with the construction side of things, Bafana Bafana’s biggest concern is the quality of the South African team. Many neutrals have already tipped South Africa to be the worst ever host nation in regards to how well the host country actually does in it’s own world cup. It’s up to the South African fans to create an atmosphere to remember but that will be extremely hard if their side doesn’t make inroads in the tournament itself. Manager Carlos Alberto Parreira is confident he will have a side capable of competing once the finals kick-off but we aren’t convinced.

Nickname: Bafana Bafana (The Boys)

Manager

South Africa, after only recently sacking Joel Santana after some disastrous displays from the national team, have one again seeked inspiration and, to put it bluntly, help from a Brazilian, as Carlos Alberto Perreira was chosen as the man to guide South Africa to a respectable finish on home soil.

There is no doubting the experience of the man having spent no less than 43 years in the managerial business. At 67 years of age, Perreira has certainly been around the block and then lapped it once more, as the variety of clubs he’s managed is quite remarkable, ranging from managing the Kuwait national team all the way up to leading his own country, Brazil. In a managerial career which consists of a mixture of both clubs and national teams, Perreira has spent roughly 26 years managing international sides, of which he has enjoyed three stints as Brazil manager, so perhaps he can install some Samba magic into the South Africa team.

We can honestly say, we doubt they’ll be a manager at South Africa with as much experience at all levels of international than Carlos Alberto Perreira, so the appointment looks a fantastic capture for South Africa, who definitely need some inspiring.

South Africa Key Players

Aaron Mokoena

The South African captain will need to step up for the finals and act as a true leader. With 90 caps, Mokoena is South Africa’s most capped player and with some of the squad still fairly young, his experience will be key in guiding South Africa along the right path. South Africa are often a side that can loose concentration when they go a goal down so the omen will be on Mokoena to restore faith in the ranks and enhance player morale.

Matthew Booth

If South Africa are to have a successful World Cup as host nation, they will need their favourite player to perform. Matthew Booth is not only their rock at the back but he also inspires the home supporters. Whenever Booth touches the ball, you’ll hear a roar of ‘BOOTH’. The 32 year old will be hoping to repay the support of the fans with a few solid performances at the back and possibly assert his presence in the oppositions penalty area as well. Booth is 6ft 6incs tall and will be key from set pieces for South Africa despite his low goalscoring tally of 1 goal in 26 international appearances.

Benni McCarthy

The Blackburn forward has been a controversial character for South Africa. He’s often had to make a choice between club and country with club often prevailing. This left a bad taste in the South African fans but they may need to swallow their pride and accept their most prolific striker back with open arms. McCarthy did retire from international football back in 2002 but made a swift return in 2004 and Joel Santana will be hoping to acquire his services next summer. The South Africans lack an out-an-out forward and McCarthy will fill the void. 31 goals in 76 games makes Benni McCarthy South Africa’s highest ever goalscorer and they will need his goals in South Africa next year.

Strengths

Unfortunately, South Africa don’t have too many strengths. Their team lacks any real quality and they will rely solely on the support from the home fans to get them through some tough matches. The South African’s showed their support at the FIFA Confederations Cup, mainly with their ‘vuvuzelas’, which we must warn you in advance, are blooming annoying. However, the atmosphere created by the fans with their vuvuzelas helped inspire the players to a fourth place finish and the Bafana Bafana faithful will be out in full force in a bid to drive their team to at least the last sixteen stage of the tournament.

Weaknesses

South Africa not only lack a potential match winner within their ranks but they lack a team capable of reaching the heights the fans demand. Bypassing the groups is a must as far the South African’s are concerned and anything less will be seen as a major disappointment. However, the home fans may be in for torrid time as we expect South Africa to struggle on home soil despite the support of the nation behind them. Their defence is vulnerable, their attack is blunt while their only glimmer of hope may rest in midfield. Teko Modise looked lively in the Confederations cup while Steven Pienaar looks a bright spark in the centre of the park. With the exception of the midfield, South Africa appear doomed.

South Africa Qualification for the World Cup:

South Africa qualified virtue of being the host nation. Their preparations have been good after surpassing all expectations in the FIFA Confederations Cup when reaching the Semi-Finals, before losing 1-0 to Brazil.

South Africa Qualifying Statistics:

This will be the very first World Cup held on South African soil.
The pressure is firmly on the South African players with many punters and even FIFA President Sepp Blatter concerned over the quality of the South African team.
This will be South Africa’s third World Cup after missing out on the 2006 finals but previously qualifying for both the 1998 & 2002 World Cups.

World Cup Potential:  2/5

The only thing favouring the South African’s is that they’re the host country. They will receive a tremendous reception in the opening game and will also sell out their games with ease as the Bafana Bafana faithful do their best to push South Africa to victory. However, without the support, South Africa wouldn’t have a hope in hell. If the players thrive on the atmosphere then they could surprise a few but that’s a big ‘IF’.

South Africa World Cup Betting Odds

South Africa to win the World Cup:         500/1 – bWin

Before the World Cup the odds on South Africa were 150/1 

Official South Africa World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs)

Shu-Aib Walters (Maritzburg United)

Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates)

Defenders

Matthew Booth (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Siboniso Gaxa (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Bongani Khumalo (Supersport United)

Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa, Israel)

Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth)

Anele Ngcongca (Racing Genk)

Siyabonga Sangweni (Golden Arrows)

Lucas Thwala (Orlando Pirates)

Midfielders

Surprise Moriri (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Lance Davids (Ajax Cape Town)

Kagisho Dikgacoi (FC Fulham)

Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates)

Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs)

Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs)

Thanduyise Khuboni (Golden Arrows)

Steven Pienaar (Everton)

Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan)

Strikers

Katlego Mphela (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Siyabonga Nomvete (Moroka Swallows)

Bernard Parker (FC Twente Enschede)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 South Africa Fixtures – Group A

World Cup Group A - Table

 World Cup Fixtures and Results

World Cup Group of South Africa