When Carlos Alberto Parreira returned to South Africa’s head coaching position, it was thought West Ham United striker Benni McCarthy - the nation’s all-time leading scorer - would come back into the team. McCarthy had been excluded under the stewardship of Parreira’s countryman Joel Santana, but the move back to Parreira was considered a sign that one of the Bafana Bafana’s few scoring options would be in the team.
Benni McCarthy Surprise Omission From South Africa’s 23-Man, Final World Cup Roster
McCarthy was given his chance, but when Parreira announced his final squad today, the striker was the final, 23-man team’s glaring omission.
In McCarthy’s place, Parreira has select three natural strikers: Twente’s Bernard Parker, and South African league stars Katlego Mphela and Siyabonga Nombethe.
Steven Pienaar, Kagisho Dikgacoi and MacBeth Sibaya are the notable players in the Bafana Bafana midfield. They are joined by Teko Modise, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Surprise Moriri, Lance Davids Reneilwe Letsholonyane and Thanduyise Khuboni.
Captain Aaron Mokoena and his 100 caps lead the defense, which also includes Maccabi Haifa’s Tsepo Masilela and Genk’s Anele Ngconga. The rest of the players selected play in South Africa: Siboniso Gaxa, Matthew Booth, Lucas Thwala, Bongani Khumalo, and Siyabonga Sangweni.
Kaizer Chief Itumeleng Khune is expected to wear the one shit, with Moeneeb Josephs and uncapped Shu-Aib Walters deputizing.
South Africa will open the World Cup against Mexico next Friday, June 11, in a group that includes France and Uruguay.
Final Roster
Goalkeepers
Khune, Itumeleng (Kaizer Chiefs)
Josephs, Moeneeb (Orlando Pirates)
Walters, Sh-Aib (Maritzburg United
Defenders
Booth, Matthew (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Gaxa, Siboniso (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Khumale, Bongani (Supersport United)
Masilela, Tsepo (Maccabi Haifa)
Mokoena, Aaron (Portsmouth)
Ngconga, Anele (Genk)
Sangwein, Siyabonga (Golden Arrows)
Thwala, Lucas (Orlando Pirates)
Midfielders
Davids, Lance (Ajax Cape Town)
Dikgacoi, Kagisho (Fulham)
Khuboni, Thanduyise (Golden Arrows)
Letsholonyane, Reneilwe (Kaizer Chiefs)
Modise, Teko (Orlando Pirates)
Moriri, Surprise (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Pienaar, Steven (Everton)
Sibaya, MacBeth (Rubin Kazan)
Tshabalala, Siphiwe (Kaizer Chiefs)
Forwards
Mphela, Katiego (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Nomvethe, Siyabonga (Moroka Swallows)
Parker, Bernard (Twente)
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