Pienaar’s positive Bafana team talk ahead of World Cup opener
by Staff Reporter · KickOffFormer Bafana Bafana captain Steven Pienaar has issued some words of comfort to the team ahead of the World Cup by saying that the current Mexico team is not “one of the best teams”.
Bafana are due to open their World Cup campaign against the tournament co-hosts in Mexico City on Thursday (21:00 SA time).
Challenges the Mexico will pose
"If I look at a Mexican team now, I don't think it's one of the best teams, to be honest. They have a very balanced team," Pienaar told BeIn Sport.
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"I won't say there are one or two players who will say ‘wow’, compared to the 2010 team. You can look and say if you look at the 2010 World Cup, you will say, who is going to do what? They have a lot of quality," he added.
Pienaar was in the line-up in the 1-1 against the same opposition in the 2010 World Cup opening game. At the time, he was playing for Everton in England and was expected to be the star player in Mzansi’s first World Cup on home soil.
However, despite entering the tournament in good form and also as Everton’s Player of the Season, the Westbury native had a quiet 2010 World Cup with fatigue being cited as the leading reason behind that.
Bafana’s recent performances in international games have not inspired confidence from the South African public heading into the latest edition.
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A united Bafana
A rather disappointing display at the AFCON late last year has been followed by draws against the likes of Nicaragua and Jamaica in World Cup warm-up games.
Pienaar, though, thinks Bafana can benefit as many of their players have been playing together for a long time.
"The South African team, on the other hand, is a team that has been together for a long time," he said.
"It's a team with a coach who knows the players very well. They have been together for a long time. The winning mentality in that team is incredible."