THE FAVORITE of South African soccer fans, Themba “Mshishi” Zwane, is in line to take the record of being the oldest player to be capped by Bafana Bafana in a World Cup match.
Zwane from Tembisa is 36 years old, he will be the oldest player ever to play for Bafana in the World Cup if the coach, Hugo Broos, appoints him today. Bafana will face Mexico in the opening game of Group A in Mexico City, Mexico, at 9 p.m.
The record for the oldest midfielder in the World Cup is held by Lucas “Rhoo” Radebe and Matthew Booth who played in 2002 and 2010 respectively. Both were 33 years old.
Andre Arendse is the goalkeeper since he was 34 years old during the 2002 tournament, which was played in Korea and Japan.
This time, Mbekezeli “TLB” Mbokazi is “the youngest” in Bafana going to the World Cup as he is 20 years old.
He will not be the youngest Bafana player in the World Cup since Benni McCarthy and Delron Buckley were 20 years old in the 1998 tournament hosted by France.
Benni was the one who scored Bafana’s first ever goal in the World Cup against Denmark in 1998.
This record includes Steven Pienaar who was 20 years old in the Korea/Japan World Cup even though he did not play a single game.
In this list there are players including Jabu Mahlangu and Quinton Fortune who were in France in 1998 and Korea/Japan in 2002 respectively, although they are 21 years old.
In the 2010 tournament, which was hosted by South Africa, no one could be seen except for Itumeleng Khune (22) who was the youngest of all with the late Anele Ngcongca.
Bongani Khumalo was 23 which made him one of the youngest stoppers.
Bafana’s World Cup goals in 1998, 2002 and 2010:
McCarthy (2), Shaun Bartlett (2), Fortune (1), Siyabonga Nomethe (1), Radebe (1), Khumalo (1), Mphela (1) and Siphiwe Tshabalala (1).
Bafana have nine matches in the World Cup. They won two, drew four, and lost three. It scored 11 goals and conceded 16.