South Africa

Confederation: CAF
Head Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira
Captain: Aaron Mokoena
Group: A

South Africa are a relatively unknown team on the international stage and they will be aiming to change that in what will be their third appearance at a World Cup.

They first appeared at a World Cup back in 1998 when the French hosted and went on to win the tournament. Unfortunately for South Africa, or the Bafana Bafana as the team is called, they failed to make it out of the group stages in '98 and again in Korea/Japan in 2002.

Bafana Bafana will be able to take confidence from the Republic of Korea who; while jointly hosting the World Cup in '02, managed to get to the semi finals despite having a relatively unknown team, something which possibly worked in their favour. South Africa will of course be able to take confidence from being the host nation and having their own supporters filling the stadia.

Despite history showing us that South Africa aren't a gifted footballing nation when it comes to the World Cup, they do have past glories. In 1996 South Africa hosted and won the Africa Cup of Nations at their first attempt, which isn't something to be ignored.

Last June South Africa hosted the FIFA Confederations Cup and showed the watching world that this current team has a lot of potential as they managed to reach the semi finals only to lose out to eventual winners Brazil.

Benni McCarthy has quite surprisingly been cut from Parreira's squad; McCarthy is South Africa's all time leading goal scorer. Captain Aaron Mokoena is another front runner for South Africa; he is the first player to reach 100 caps for the nation, an impressive feat.

Squad

Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs); Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates), Shu-Aib Walters (Maritzburg United), Matthew Booth (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siboniso Gaxa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Bongani Khumalo (SuperSport United), Tshepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa), Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth), Anele Ngcongca (Genk), Siyabonga Sangweni (Golden Arrows), Lucas Thwala (Orlando Pirates), Lance Davids (Ajax Cape Town), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Fulham), Thanduyise Khuboni (Golden Arrows), Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs), Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates), Surprise Moriri (Mamelodi Sundowns), Steven Pienaar (Everton), Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan), Simphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs), Katlego Mphela (Mamelodi Sundowns), Siyabonga Nomvete (Moroka Swallows), Bernard Parker (FC Twente).

Carl Leighton