Who cares if South Africa get booted out early
World won’t stop turning if Bafana Bafana become first World Cup host nation in 80 years to fall at the group stage.
Let’s face it. South Africa’s national football squad, the Bafana Bafana, is ranked 83rd in the world.
It was tipped to be the worst host team yet in the World Cup’s 80 year history.
Yes they managed to draw against Mexico in their first match of the tournament on 11 June – and yes, they held their own.
But after the thrashing they got from Uruguay on Wednesday, I think the writing is on the wall.
Unless some miracle happens – or some serious match fixing is done – South Africa, the World Cup host nation, are out.
I suspect it’s going to hurt.
In every World Cup tournament since the beginning in Uruguay (1930), the host nation has always progressed beyond the initial group stage into the second round.
South Africa could see itself make history – as the first team that does NOT.
Yes it will be embarrassing initially – but most South Africans will get over it. They proved critics wrong by pulling off this World Cup and so far there have been no major incidents. Let’s hope it stays that way.
People will ridicule the team and the country, but that’s expected.
We must realise they’ve done Africa proud – advancing further in the tournament would have been the icing on the cake – but the world won’t stop turning if they exit the World Cup embarrassingly early as the host nation.