FRANCE 98 – South Africa-Denmark: the South African Fans are there!

Across from TOULOUSE’s Matabiau train station, three South African supporters, Tommy, Yousuf and Mohammed, wearing caps and shirts with their team colours, explain how they see the World Cup: “It’s a great pleasure to see the Bafana Bafana take part in their first World Cup. A pleasure that is shared by a whole people, fully united behind their team. It’s no longer whites on one side and blacks on the other, everyone is united behind the national team.” To be able to come to FRANCE, the three supporters had to save for a full year, so that they could get 15,000 francs to pay for six days and two matches. That is expensive, even for young executives like them who live in Johannesburg.

On the football side, they’re counting on Lucas RADEBE (19) and Mark FISH (5), their favourite players, to make the difference. Fair play is important for them so a bad performance by their team will not effect their good humour. They have even forgiven Pierre ISSA (21), his two big mistakes against FRANCE. Yousuf’s only complaint against coach Philippe TROUSSIER is that he wants to impose a European style of play on an African team. Over and above SOUTH AFRICA’s eventual qualification for the last sixteen, Tommy, Yousuf and Mohammed have a secret hope, to see SOUTH AFRICA host the 2006 World Cup.