Friday 11th June, 2010 Let the games begin! D-day for South Africa and coach Parreira D-day has arrived for host “We cannot beat France, Mexico or Uruguay in nation South Africa, who a physical struggle. My boys have to play well hope months of intense preparation can be translat- against them with the ball on the ground. This ed into victory over Mexico on Friday in the opening 2010 is our big strength. That is what I want the FIFA World Cup™ match. South African team to believe in” Training camps in Brazil, Germany and South Africa -South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira under Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira have reaped He is expected to combine reward as the previously young stars like Manchester underperforming side has United-bound striker Javier gone 12 matches unbeaten. Hernandez with veterans We are ready, says the 67- like recent West Ham United year-old of a team built discard Guillermo Franco. around Everton midfielder "Mexico have been eliminat- Steven Pienaar and contain- ed in the round of 16 at the ing more local-based foot- last four FIFA World Cup ballers than originally tournaments so we want to expected with unfit West make history in South Africa Ham striker Benni McCarthy by improving as much as among the casualties. possible." Mexico look stronger and Aguirre was recalled are more experienced than when a Sven Goran Bafana Bafana (The Boys) Eriksson-led qualifying cam- with a potentially potent paign came off the rails and cocktail of youth and experi- boasts that youngsters like ence captained by occasional Vela and Giovani dos Santos Barcelona first-team utility of Galatasaray represent the player Rafael Marquez. It "best generation in Mexican adds up to an intriguing football history". opening match at the first (www.fifa.com) FIFA World Cup in Africa with international political South Africa- Moneeb icon Nelson Mandela expect- Josephs,Itumeleng Khune, ed to be among a sell-out Shu-Aib Walter, Tsepo 90,000 crowd at Soccer City Masilela, Aaron Mokoena, A local fan cheers at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town city that will host Soccer World Cup stadium in Soweto. Anele Ngcongca, Matthew games in South Africa, Wednesday, June 9, 2010. The first soccer World Cup to be played Parreira, a FIFA World Booth, Lucas Thwala, in Africa is set to kick-off on June 11.(AP) Cup-winning coach with Bongani Khumalo, Brazil 16 years ago, needs to Siyabonga Sangweni, get a monkey off his back by MacBeth Sibaya, Lance winning a match at the tour- Davids, Siphiwe nament with a country other South Africa's Steven Pienaar controls the ball during a training Tshabalala, Steven Vieira backs France than his own. He took Middle session, ahead of their opening match against Mexico on Friday, Pienaar, Teko Modise, East nations Kuwait, United in Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, June 9, 2010. South Reneilwe Letsholonyane, to spring surprise Arab Emirates and Saudi Africa is playing in Group A at the World Cup. (AP) Kagisho Dikgacoi, Arabia to the tournament you have to do something within the team that an often Surprise Moriri, FIFA World Cup™ win- “I really strongly been criticised for a long between 1982 and 1998 with- special and for us that would divided sporting nation has Thanduyise Khuboni, ner Patrick Vieira believes believe that France time and there's nothing new out managing to celebrate mean in the technical and united behind Bafana, may Katlego Mphela, Bernard France could spring a sur- are good enough to about that but I think what's even one victory. skills aspects of the game," inspire Aaron Mokoena and Parker, Siyabonga prise in South Africa, saying win the World Cup” important is for them to get No host nation has failed says Parreira. "We cannot his team to success. Nomvethe the pressure on the squad Patrick Vieira, France focused on the game." to reach the second round beat France, Mexico or Mexico had an impres- Mexico-Oscar Perez, would bring them together. World Cup winner Vieira said France's since the FIFA World Cup Uruguay in a physical strug- sive build-up to the tourna- Guillermo Ochoa, Luis France go into their opener strength was that they had began 80 years ago and three gle. My boys have to play ment that culminated in a 2-1 Michel, Francisco against Uruguay tomorrow so many players who could points for Bafana would set well against them with the Brussels triumph over 2006 Rodriguez, Carlos Salcido, knowing nothing but victo- make a difference and turn them up for a top-two finish ball on the ground. This is FIFA World Cup winners Rafael Marquez, Ricardo ry will restore faith in their games, adding: "That's why and a place among the 16 sur- our big strength. That is Italy via goals from Arsenal Osorio, Paul Aguilar , ability to make an impact they have to believe they can vivors. After being told for what I want the South striker Carlos Vela, and mid- Efrain Juarez, Jonny after a string of under- go and win it because they've eight months by South African team to believe in." fielder Alberto Medina. Like Magallon, Gerardo whelming performances in got the quality there." Africans to make them Bafana demonstrated in a Parreira, coach Javier Torrado, Israel Castro, friendlies including a defeat The former Arsenal and proud, Parreira believes he draw with Bulgaria last Aguirre is a wily old fox Andres Guardado, Jorge to China PR. Inter Milan star picked out can deliver a second-round month they can retain the when it comes to the big time Torres, Pablo Barrera, But Vieira, who failed to Franck Ribery as a key man place although other group ball while a victory over and at least the 1,800-metre Guillermo Franco, make the squad, is confident and said Thierry Henry, the rivals France and Uruguay Colombia suggested the stars Johannesburg altitude will Cuauhtemoc Blanco, the French can put their sole survivor from the 1998 are also ranked among the can handle the pressure of pose no problems for foot- Carlos Vela, Javier troubles behind them. FIFA World Cup-winning leading 20 nations. playing before a huge crowd. ballers used to performing at Hernandez, Giovani Dos "France have always been squad, still had a crucial role "I believe if you want to Mandela, plastic vuvuzela such stamina-draining Santos, Adolfo Bautista, criticised before big tournaments like the to play despite falling out of favour at qualify for the second round trumpets, and a knowledge heights. Alberto Medina World Cup. It was like that in 1998, it was Barcelona. like that in 2002, it was like that in 2006 and "It's hard to pick out one player who'll it's nothing new, I'm not surprised," said be really important for the team. I would the Manchester City player. "I really say Franck Ribery because in 2006 he was “Don’t forget, there’s many compared to the 23 that were strongly believe that France are good fantastic and I think he will be important a good tune played on an in Berlin in 2006. There are enough to win the World Cup even if they for the French team," he said. "Henry is old fiddle” Reigning champs also lots of young players haven't played well in the first few games, still Henry. He's got the talent, he's got the Marcello Lippi defends his that have sufficient experi- the friendlies they've had." experience and Thierry is one of the play- 'oldies' ence to come in and do a job. Speaking about under-pressure ers who can win games by himself." content to lie low They represent the future of Domenech, Vieira said: "The manager has (www.fifa.com) eigning world champi- Italian football, but must also ons they may be, as still in their twenties four be its present. If I had to lead Rwell as the second- years down the line from this team for an entire sea- most successful international Germany 2006, the squad’s son, I probably would have Historic day for Mandela, South Africa team ever after Brazil, with average age has barely made other choices. But for a The 11th of June marks ment. four FIFA World Cup™ victo- jumped at all, from 28.8 to month, it shouldn’t pose a the kick-off of the first Fifa Goldberg, being white, World Cup to be held on the was separated from the ries; nevertheless, Italy’s 28.9. That said, this is still the problem. And don’t forget, African continent. But the group and incarcerated at players find themselves in oldest pool of players to rep- there’s many a good tune day has a further signifi- Pretoria Central Prison. the unorthodox position of resent La Nazionale at the played on an old fiddle.” cance in the history of South Mandela and the others approaching this year’s tour- global showpiece, despite the The performance of Africa. For one: it is the day arrived on Robben Island in nament as dark horses. This absences of veterans Gennaro Gattuso in Italy’s Nelson Mandela and seven of the early hours of the morn- paradox is unlikely to overly Alessandro del Piero and recent 1-1 draw with his comrades were convicted ing of 13 June. concern Marcello Lippi Francesco Totti, both over- Switzerland confirms this for sabotage. Coincidentally, the 11th of Marcello Lippi though, for whom the mantra looked this time around. theory. Despite having spent Forty-six years ago, on 11 July – the date of the final remains more than ever “the Pirlo, Gianluigi Buffon, The future is present practically the entire season June 1964, Mandela, Walter match of the 2010 Fifa World team above all else.” Gennaro Gattuso, Gianluca “Everyone has always on the bench at AC Milan, Sisulu, Ahmed Kathrada, Cup – is also a historic day in Raymond Mhlaba, Denis Goldberg, South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle.