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Bafana Bafana’s Mohau Nkota is optimistic they’ll win games at next year’s World Cup, viewing the global spectacle as the opportunity to sell themselves to the world.
Bafana were drawn in Group A against Mexico, South Korea and the winner of the European playoff between Denmark vs North Macedonia and Czech Republic vs Ireland (with the two winners playing for the final spot) when the draw was conducted in Washington DC on Friday.
In what will be a rematch of the 2010 World Cup opener, Bafana and Mexico will get the tournament underway on June 11 in Mexico City next year.
“It’s a very competitive group. For us it’s just to go there and raise our hands so that the rest of the world will know about Bafana. We must be ourselves and we will win games there,” Nkota said at the draw viewing event, organised by one of Bafana’s sponsors, Castle, at The Playground in Braamfontein on Friday.
Nkota, who was just six years old when Bafana faced Mexico at FNB Stadium in 2010, is motivated to face El Tri, wanting to score the opener to emulate one of his mentors, Siphiwe Tshabalala, who netted the first goal of the 2010 event as Mexico held SA to a 1-all draw.
“I didn’t even watch the 2010 World Cup because I was still very young, playing on the streets. However, playing the first game against Mexico is a motivation, especially because the person who scored the opener there, Tshabalala, is someone I always speak to. I’ve promised him that I will score the first goal as well against Mexico next year,” Nkota said.
Amid the World Cup hype, Tshabalala has told Bafana to first focus on the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), which runs from December 21 to January 18 in Morocco. “Shabba”, as the Bafana legend is nicknamed, believes Bafana can compete for silverware at Afcon.
“We must start by focusing on Afcon, which is a big stage for Bafana to compete for silverware and also prepare for the World Cup,” Tshabalala said, adding that being pitted against Mexico in the opener of the next World Cup felt nostalgic.
“Drawing Mexico brings back good memories for me, scoring in the opener of the 2010 World Cup. This is definitely déjà vu, especially because the game will be on June 11 as well next year. It feels like I am still part of the current team.”
Mexico will co-host next year’s World Cup with the US and Canada from June 11 to July 19. At Afcon, SA are in Group B with Angola, Egypt and Zimbabwe, facing Angola in their opener in Marrakech on December 22.
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