Team Profiles
Group A
Group A
South Africa
There is an air of cautious optimism in South Africa as the Rainbow Nation prepares to write what is undoubtedly the most significant chapter of its short football history. A mammoth task lies ahead.
Recent years have brought ample disappointments, but Bafana Bafana have also shown, albeit in patches, that - given motivation and purpose - they can be a potent threat. And there can be no greater motivation than representing their country in a FIFA World Cup™ on home soil.
In 1996, four years after their readmission to international football, South Africa shot to prominence and stunned the African continent by claiming their maiden CAF Africa Cup of Nations trophy against Tunisia at Soccer City in Johannesburg. How ironic that, 16 years later, South Africa will return to the venue where they achieved this first major success, aiming to rewrite the script on an even bigger stage.
Their gallant performance at the FIFA Confederations Cup last June, when they lost narrowly to Brazil in the semi-finals and to Spain in the third place play-off, should certainly serve as a chilling reminder to their detractors that this team, when stretched to its potential, cannot be underestimated. That tournament witnessed several impressive performances strung together by the hosts, and ultimately it was only their inability to convert cleverly-tailored moves into goals that led to their demise.
The road to South Africa
South Africa, by virtue of their role as hosts, gained automatic qualification.
The star players
Talented midfield maestro Steven Pienaar is South Africa's prize assert. In the absence of the country's most successful striker, Benni McCarthy, who remains out of favour, Pienaar brings much-needed innovation and imagination to the side.
Since his arrival at Everton, Pienaar has reinvented himself and matured as an all-round player. While he continues to polarise opinion in his native country, no-one in South Africa disputes the confidence he exudes on the field and his ability to inject inspiration into the team's play. His performances during the FIFA Confederations Cup were yet another reminder that he will be key to any South African success in 2010.
Yet arguably just as vital to the Bafana Bafana cause are two players who have laboured tirelessly and effectively with little recognition: wingbacks Siboniso Gaxa and the enterprising Tsepho Masilela.
The coach
Now in his second stint as a South Africa coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira's return was greeted with mixed feelings in South Africa, although the Brazilian's many supporters are adamant that he is the man to lead this side to the ‘Promised Land' in 2010. Parreira certainly has the pedigree, having led his native country to the beautiful game's ultimate prize at the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA. The extensively-travelled coach also brings a wealth of experience, which should prove vital in revitalising a South African side struggling with some significant pre-tournament problems. However, Parreira will be hoping to avoid the difficulties he endured during an inauspicious first spell as head coach, which witnessed him fail to lead South Africa beyond the first round at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.
Previous FIFA World Cups
South Africa have failed to make it beyond the group stages in either of their two previous FIFA World Cup appearances. Clearly, this is a situation they will be desperate to remedy. Their first appearance was in France 1998, six years after they had been readmitted to the global football family. Despite a 3-0 drubbing to France in their opening game, they went on to put a decent show against Denmark and Saudi Arabia, drawing against both. Korea/Japan 2002 was expected to be an opportunity for Bafana Bafana to step up to the next level but, ultimately, they flattered to deceive, crashing out after the group stage despite beating Slovenia 1-0 for their first-ever FIFA World Cup win.
Record
* This is South Africa's third appearance at the FIFA World Cup. Their first participation was at France 1998 and they also qualified for Korea/Japan 2002.
* Benni McCarthy scored the country's first goal at the FIFA World Cup in a 1-1 draw against Denmark on 18 June 1998.
* South Africa's incumbent captain, Aaron Mokoena remains the country's most capped player.
* South Africa hosted and won the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 at their first attempt, beating Tunisia 2-0 in Johannesburg's Soccer City. They went on to finish as runners-up at the following edition in 1998, losing to Egypt 2-0 in the final.
What they said
"We are all aware that it is a huge honour to play in a World Cup on home soil; not many players have had such a privilege. We are also aware of the task that lies ahead. For us, the World Cup is our priority, it's our biggest goal. We need to represent our country with pride," Aaron Mokoena, South Africa captain.
Mexico
After a turbulent couple of years that has seen three coaches come and go and more than sixty players pull on the famous green jersey, Mexico have returned to calmer waters under the steadying influence of Javier Aguirre. The former Atletico Madrid coach has put together a team comprising bright young talents and established stars, restoring their wavering confidence in the process.
Following the appointment of the man they call El Vasco (The Basque), the regional powerhouses shot up from fifth to second place in the final six-team qualification group in the CONCACAF Zone, winning five games, drawing one and losing just the one. Having safely made their way to the finals, their objective will now be to progress beyond the Round of 16, where they have been knocked out at the last four FIFA World Cup™ finals.
The road to South Africa
After disposing of Belize with a minimum of fuss in the second qualifying round, Mexico were drawn into a tough group containing Jamaica, Canada and Honduras in the following phase. Coached at the time by Sven Goran Eriksson, El Tri struggled to impose their authority and only scraped in the fourth and final round on goal difference ahead of the Reggae Boyz.
The Mexicans' erratic form continued in the final six-team round-robin group, kicking off with a 2-0 defeat in the USA before beating Costa Rica by the same scoreline and then losing 3-1 to Honduras. That last defeat cost Eriksson his job and his replacement by Aguirre, who stepped in in similar circumstances on the road to Korea/Japan 2002.
And once again the unflappable Aguirre worked a miracle, transforming Mexican fortunes despite kicking off with a 2-1 reverse in El Salvador. Victories over each of their five group rivals then followed, giving them a ticket to the finals with one game to spare. After a draw against Trinidad and Tobago in their final outing, the men in green ended the group in second place behind eternal rivals USA.
The star players
Veteran playmaker Cuauhtemoc Blanco is perhaps the player Mexico fans should thank for their side's turnaround. Lured out of retirement by Aguirre, the uniquely talented 36-year-old became the symbol of a revitalised team, helping younger team-mates such as Guillermo Ochoa, Efrain Juarez, Andres Guardado and Giovani dos Santos to find their best form. Along with skipper Rafael Marquez, they are sure to provide the nucleus of the squad that will travel to South Africa 2010.
The coach
Javier Aguirre is Mexico's most successful coach of recent times. After guiding the unfancied Pachuca to the league championship in 1999, El Vasco was handed the job of reviving the national team's faltering bid to qualify for Korea/Japan 2002. After doing just that, he then took the Mexicans to the top of a challenging group that contained Italy, Croatia and Ecuador, though their Asian adventure came to an end with a last-16 defeat to USA.
After the tournament he signed a contract with Spanish club Osasuna, taking them to the UEFA Champions League in 2005/06. That impressive achievement led to a switch to Atletico Madrid, and though he steered Los Colchoneros into fourth place in 2007/08, he was dismissed halfway through the following season, the wheel turning full circle again when he took over a crisis-stricken Mexico. And having come to his country's rescue for a second time, the wily Aguirre is eyeing a lengthy stay at South Africa 2010.
Previous FIFA World Cups
· Mexico have qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals 14 times in all, more than any other side from the CONCACAF Zone.
· Mexico's achieved their best-ever performances in the finals as tournament hosts in 1970 and 1986, reaching the last eight on both occasions.
· South Africa 2010 is their fifth appearance in the finals in a row. On all four previous occasions they have bowed out in the Round of 16.
Records
· Under Javier Aguirre, Mexico went an impressive 12 games without defeat before losing 2-1 to Colombia in a friendly, a game in which they used only home-based players.
· The Mexico squad that earned qualification for South Africa 2010 contained four players who won the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2005: Giovani dos Santos, Carlos Vela, Efrain Juarez and Hector Moreno.
· Surprisingly, there were no Mexicans among the top 20 scorers in the CONCACAF qualifying competition, although no fewer than 18 Tricolor players found the back of the net at least once during the qualifiers.
What they said
"I feel relaxed. Whenever you reach an objective you've been brought in to achieve you have the satisfaction of knowing that you haven't let down the people who put their faith in you. I am happy and proud. When I came into the job we were fifth and nine points away from first place, and now we're in the World Cup." Coach Javier Aguirre reacts to his side second-place finish in the CONCACAF Zone.
Uruguay
Few nations have the footballing history of Uruguay. Nestling on the northern bank on the River Plate, the country has a population of a little over three million yet boasts an impressive collection of world, Olympic and continental titles and a record that compares favourably with the world’s best. The glory years of Uruguayan football are but a fading memory, however, with La Celeste having made just two appearances at the last five FIFA World Cup™ finals.
The man charged with the task of improving that record and raising their profile once more is Oscar Tabarez, who is now in his second stint as national coach, having taken the Uruguayans through to the last 16 at Italy 1990. El Maestro, as he is known in his homeland, certainly has the resources to do achieve those objectives. Sprinkled with players from Europe’s major leagues, his young side are determined to impress in South Africa, and in Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez they have the star quality to advance beyond the group phase and into the knockout rounds for the first time in two decades.
The road to South Africa
Just as they did in 2001 and 2005, Uruguay finished fifth in the ten-team qualifying group, which meant yet another play-off. But unlike four years ago, when they were eliminated by Australia, the Uruguayans were this time pitted against Costa Rica, the fourth-placed team in the CONCACAF Zone. The South Americans gained the upper hand in the first leg in San Jose, winning 1-0 through a goal from captain Diego Lugano. Four days later they completed the job in Montevideo, with Sebastian Abreu, one of the few survivors from Korea/Japan 2002, scoring in a 1-1 draw.
In the group phase Los Charrúas scored 28 goals in all, the third-highest tally behind Brazil and Chile, and collected 24 points. Those figures were almost good enough for an automatic qualification slot. A top-four place would have been theirs had they beaten neighbours Argentina at home on the final matchday. As it turned out, their rivals from the other side of the River Plate snatched a 1-0 win to condemn them to their now customary fate.
The star players
The Uruguay side features a mix of youthful players and household names and is led by the authoritative figure of Diego Lugano. The latest in a long line of temperamental, strong-willed Uruguayan skippers, the blond centre-half likes to combine his defensive duties with often-profitable forays into the opposing penalty box.
Up front La Celeste can count on a fearsome strike partnership formed by Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez. The Atletico Madrid striker is another veteran of Korea/Japan 2002 and has put together an impressive CV during his time in Europe. His sidekick Suarez is busy making a name for himself with Ajax Amsterdam, taking over the captaincy after barely two years with the Dutch giants. Together the duo scored 12 goals in the qualifiers.
The coach
The 62-year-old Oscar Washington Tabarez is preparing for his second appearance at the FIFA World Cup finals with Uruguay. Tabarez was the man in the hotseat when Los Charrúas were knocked in the Round of 16 at Italy 1990 by the host nation. Now, 20 years on, El Maestro is set to return to the big stage with a youthful and resilient side.
Reliable, hard-working and a man of few words, Tabarez began coaching with local club Bella Vista and the U-20 national team. During his lengthy career he has worked at some of the biggest clubs in world football, among them Penarol, Boca Juniors and AC Milan. He was reappointed Uruguay boss in 2006, taking over from Jorge Fossati following La Celeste’s penalty-shootout loss to Australia in the Germany 2006 play-off.
Previous FIFA World Cups
. Uruguay will be appearing in the FIFA World Cup for the 11th time at South Africa 2010.
. Uruguay hosted the inaugural FIFA World Cup finals in 1930 and went on to win the tournament after defeating Argentina 4-2 in the Final.
. The last time that the men in sky blue advanced beyond the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup finals was at Mexico 1970, when they finished fourth.
What they said
“We had to work hard to qualify, especially in the games in Montevideo. Luckily for us, though, the World Cup’s taking place far away from home! I know we have to improve a lot if we are to perform well in South Africa but we do have a lot of strong points and we hope to be able to show them.” Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez
France
France crossed a new threshold in qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, having never before graced the finals on four consecutive occasions. Les Bleus have become a regular presence in recent years, having earned a reputation as one of world football’s leading teams since the late 1990s. Their fine displays at the first edition in 1930 marked them out as a good side and they have occasionally produced legendary talents, but only in the last decade or so have they evolved into a team that starts every major tournament with serious hopes of winning it.
The generation of players that included Zinedine Zidane, Laurent Blanc, Didier Deschamps and Fabien Barthez finally found a way past the obstacles that had blocked the route of earlier vintages. The fine team featuring Michel Platini, Alain Giresse, Luis Fernandez and Jean Tigana had stumbled at the semi-final stage in 1982 and 1986, but their successors went all the way to lifting the Trophy in 1998.
Despite a drop in standards in 2002 and 2006, France still came agonisingly close to grasping a second global title in the latter tournament, only losing out on penalties to Italy in the Final. The Zidane chapter came to a close that night in Berlin, but Les Bleus can still call upon some of the biggest names in world football, with a seemingly endless production line of young talents having unearthed the likes of Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema and Yoann Gourcuff in recent seasons.
The road to South Africa
They may not have done it in style, but France just about satisfied the demands of their supporters by booking themselves a place in South Africa. It took an extra-time goal in their play-off with Ireland to give them a 2-1 aggregate win and finally send them through, and that came after they had finished second in qualifying Group 7 of the European Zone.
Pipped to first spot by Serbia, frustrated by Romania and given problems by Lithuania, Raymond Domenech’s charges kicked off their bid with a damaging 3-1 loss in Austria, but they later rallied to secure a 1-1 draw in Serbia despite being reduced to ten men and finding themselves trailing early on. After that, they saw out the section with a 5-0 success against the Faroe Islands and a 3-1 victory over Austria. Pessimists will focus on the team’s troubles in securing a ticket to the main event, while optimists will recall that they also flirted with disaster ahead of Germany 2006, before going on to reach the Final.
The star players
Since Zinedine Zidane, Fabien Barthez, Claude Makelele and Lilian Thuram all called time on their international careers in 2006, a new selection of senior figures has stepped forward. With Patrick Vieira having long struggled with injury, sole France 1998 survivor Thierry Henry has taken the captain’s armband, with William Gallas the leader at the back and both Jeremy Toulalan and Lassana Diarra indispensable in midfield. Meanwhile, the emergence of Yoann Gourcuff, the talent of Franck Ribery and the rejuvenation of Nicolas Anelka have given the coach a variety of options in attack, where Karim Benzema, Andre-Pierre Gignac, Florent Malouda and Loic Remy will also be hoping to feature.
The coach
The French public have come to regard Raymond Domenech as a paradox unto himself since he took the reins in 2004. Praised for his communication skills when he first arrived, his perceived weaknesses in that domain were leapt upon after France failed to shine at UEFA EURO 2008. Domenech has yet to lift silverware with Les Bleus, but he is now the country’s longest serving national coach and can point to a FIFA World Cup Final appearance as the highlight so far of a career that has had a steady upwards trajectory.
Mulhouse and Lyon were his starting points in the club game before he entered the national fold to coach the Under-20s, after which a worthy record with the U-21s won him a crack at the senior side. As a player, he was a combative defender who won the French league title with Strasbourg in 1979 and Bordeaux in 1984, in addition to the French Cup with Lyon in 1973 and Paris Saint-Germain in 1982, plus a total of eight caps in the 1970s.
Previous FIFA World Cups
Les Bleus have appeared in 12 final tournaments, winning on home soil in 1998. Regular actors on the greatest stage of all, France also managed third-place finishes in 1958 and 1986, as well as fourth spot in 1982.
Honours
- 1 FIFA World Cup (1998)
- 2 FIFA Confederations Cup (2001, 2003)
- 2 UEFA European Championships (1984, 2000)
What they said
"The objective was to qualify. We knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I never had any doubts. We’ve had difficulties for two years now, but everyone kept believing and they were justified in doing so. We grabbed hold of the right to take part in something exceptional – a World Cup in South Africa.” Raymond Domenech, France coach
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