AARON “Mbazo” Mokoena, who captained Bafana Bafana at the 2010 Fifa World Cup said that having only four players who had played at the tournament previously, cost the national team dearly.
Mokoena, the most capped player in the national team with 107, says if Bafana had few more players with World Cup experience, things would have been differently.
The win over France in the last match, who were in shambolic state, proved to be only a solace to Mzansi as they earned only four points from three games.
Today, Mzansi will mark 10 years since Mzansi hosted the showpiece, with Mokoena, who was playing for Portsmouth in the English Premier League then, having little good memories on the pitch to enthuse.
“We had goose bumps, it was the first time most of the guys were playing at a World Cup, it was right in front of our people, and Soccer City was filled to capacity,” said Mokoena.
“The whole world was watching the opening and the match, we were nervous and we needed the experience of Benni McCarthy. Yes, we had a talent, we had energy in the team, unity, but I always believe in the experience,” said Mokoena.
“No one can buy experience. The inexperience worked against us and going to the match against Uruguay (at Loftus Stadium), one man down (after Itumeleng Khune was sent off), that was a big blow.
“It was very disappointing not to get through.”
The only players in that Carlos Alberto Parreira’s squad that previously played in the World Cup were Mokoena, Siyabonga Nomvethe, Steven Pienaar and Macbeth Sibaya, who were part of Jomo Sono’s side in the 2002 showpiece that was held in South Korea and Japan.”
