Bafana Bafana start their World Cup campaign with a crucial match against co-hosts Mexico in a repeat of the nations’ opening game at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg in the 2010 edition of the global soccer showpiece.
Tonight’s clash at Estadio Azteca Stadium carries plenty of significance as it will open the 2026 edition of the expanded competition which has been overshadowed by off-field issues.
The venue is also steeped in history —it hosted the 1986 semifinal clash between England and Argentina famous for the “Hand of God” goal by Diego Maradona.
Fresh from a below-par performance in January at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where they were knocked out by Cameroon in the last 16, SA are listed as underdogs in a group which, besides Mexico, also comprises South Korea and Czechia.
Veteran Belgian coach Hugo Broos has been at pains to whip up the boys’ confidence to enable them to deal with the raucous reception they will receive against the hosts, by all accounts a formidable side.
Many SA fans will remember how, in the 2010 opener, Mexico silenced the packed Soccer City crowd by cancelling out Siphiwe Tshabalala’s goal to escape with a draw.
While the euphoria 16 years ago was palpable, with the entire country behind the team, the runup to this year’s edition has been rather muted with little in the way of awareness campaigns that often accompany SA’s other national teams at global events.
Marketing and promotional campaigns such as Bok Friday, which whip up public interest to boost support for the national rugby team, have been missing for Bafana Bafana.
The apathy might be the result of a lack of confidence in the side, especially after the disappointing showing in Morocco.
Club loyalty could also be a factor — Broos hardly selected a player from Kaizer Chiefs, arguably the best-supported side in the country.
Even effervescent sports minister Gayton McKenzie has been subdued by his standards, though he did activate programmes such as sending 2010 soccer legends to Mexico to bolster support for the team.
However, at home the hype has been lacking.
Bafana can change all that by beating Mexico, which would galvanise the SA public and drum up support ahead of their other matches in the group.
The adage respect is earned, not given is amply demonstrated by the unwavering backing for the world-beating Springboks in all their campaigns.
The players will know that SA’s long drought at the Fifa World Cup has given the pessimists a field day and that it is up to them to convert them into optimists.
We wish Bafana Bafana all the best in their quest to make the entire country proud.
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