South Africa World Cup Football Team 2010

Ranked 88 in the world behind such teams as Moldova & Panama, South Africa are one of the outsiders to win the 2010 World Cup, with odds of around 100-1 to actually win the whole tournament. South African's quality can be seen in the fact that they failed to qualify for the latest African Cup of Nations, finishing last in their group. However, with the World Cup on home soil, and with the loud and colourful fans cheering on Bafana Bafana, who knows what can happen.

The team is primarily made up of the cream of the PSL (Premier Soccer League), as well as a few players based abroad, including Captain Aaron Mokoena of Portsmouth, Kagiso Dikgacoi of Fulham & Benny McCarthy of West Ham United - all playing in the Premier League.

Preparations for the tournament have been unpredictable on & off the pitch. Budget problems did mean that FIFA were quietly threatening to move the tournament from South Africa, and whilst they failed to qualify for the African Cup of Nations, they did finish 4th in the Confederations Cup. Led by Carlos Alberto Parreira of the famous Brazilian World Cup Winning side of 1994, they certainly have pedigree off the pitch. Whether they can perform on the pitch remains to be seen.