South Africa
The South Africans qualified by virtue of being hosts. They are the first-ever African country to host the World Cup and there is optimism that they might reach the second round for the first time. They first participated at the World Cup in France in 1998 and then South Korea/Japan four years later. However, on both occasions, they failed to go beyond the group stages. The South Africans are on a slump, having failed to qualify for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 1996.
Their best player is Steven Pienaar who has been in good form for his English side, Everton. Big forward, Benni McCathy will also be key in their quest to qualify for the second round although it will be a tough task against some of the world's best soccer nations. Their worst defeat was the 4-0 drubbing at the hands of France in their debut match in 1998 while their only win came in 2002 when they defeated Slovenia 1-0.
