SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Brazilian football star Cafu pays visits Bafana Bafana players ahead of South Africa friendly against Namibia
Record ID:
454486
SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Brazilian football star Cafu pays visits Bafana Bafana players ahead of South Africa friendly against Namibia
- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Brazilian football star Cafu pays visits Bafana Bafana players ahead of South Africa friendly against Namibia
- Date: 4th March 2010
- Summary: DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA (MARCH 2, 2010) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT OF BAFANA BAFANA TRAINING AT THE MOSES MABHIDA STADIUM BRADLEY CARNELL, BAFANA BAFANA PLAYER, TRAINING WITH TEAM MATES VARIOUS OF CARLOS ALBERTO PARREIRA, BAFANA BAFANA COACH STANDING, CAFU, FORMER BRAZIL CAPTAIN, WITH OTHER BAFANA BAFANA PLAYERS RUNNING PARREIRA STANDING WITH CAFU CHATTING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) CAFU, FORMER BRAZIL CAPTAIN, SAYING: "All the teams that are here have a chance. It's open for everybody." PARREIRA TRANSLATING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) CAFU, FORMER BRAZIL CAPTAIN, SAYING: "Some national teams have more capabilities than others but everybody who is here has the potential to be the world champions." PARREIRA TRANSLATING MORE OF PARREIRA STANDING WITH CAFU (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) CAFU,FORMER BRAZILIAN CAPTAIN, SAYING: "It was about time that an African country hosts the World Cup." MORE OF PAREIRRA TRANSLATING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) CAFU, FORMER BRAZILIAN CAPTAIN, SAYING: "For all the things which happen in football in the last ten years with many players from Africa being stars in their teams in Europe, so they deserve it." MORE OF PARREIRA TRANSLATING MORE OF BAFANA BAFANA TRAINING, PAREIRRA ON PITCH (SOUNDBITE) (English) CARLOS ALBERTO PAREIRRA, BAFANA BAFANA COACH, SAYING: "He's still very powerful, still a very strong image, and being the person he is, an example for the boys and I think it was an honour for us, not training, just enjoying ten minutes with us on the training ground." CARNELL PLAYING WITH TEAM MATES (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRADLEY CARNELL, BAFANA BAFANA PLAYER, SAYING: "Well, we have to be positive and remain focused because we see what the people have put up with the stadia, the infrastructure, nobody reckoned we'd get it done in time and we've come up with that with flying colours. So, I'm very optimistic, we just have to remain focused and be brave and do our thing." VARIOUS OF PLAYERS STRETCHING
- Embargoed: 19th March 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAANQHOHSZLQWC3CR6RTEW8VRH7
- Story Text: Former Brazil soccer captain, Marcos Evangelista de Moraes or 'Cafu' as he is known in the football world dropped in on Bafana Bafana, South Africa's football squad on Tuesday (March 2) during a last minute training session a day ahead of a friendly against Namibia. Cafu is in the country for celebrations marking 100 days to the start of the FIFA World Cup.
Asked what he thought the chances were of an African country lifting the World Cup trophy given that this is the first time the tournament is being held on the continent, Cafu said that it was possible despite the underdog status of the six African teams in the competition.
"All the teams that are here have a chance. It's open for everybody. Some national teams have more capabilities than others but everybody who is here has the potential to be the world champions," said Cafu.
"For all the things which happen in football in the last ten years with many players from Africa being stars in their teams in Europe, so they deserve it," he added.
Cafu is Brazil's most-capped player ever with 143 international appearances. The wing back has won the World Cup twice as well as the UEFA Champions League with AC Milan and the Italian Scudetto league title with Milan and AS Roma.
Bafana Bafana coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira who led Brazil to victory in 1994 with Cafu as captain said Cafu's visit was an inspiration to the team.
"He's still very powerful, still a very strong image, and being the person he is, an example for the boys and I think it was an honour for us, not training, just enjoying ten minutes with us on the training ground," said Pareirra.
South Africa will rest a majority of their established internationals for the encounter with Namibia at the Moses Mabidha stadium in Durban to give fringe players a chance to stake a claim for a place in the squad.
German based left back, Bradley Carnell said he was optimistic that Bafana Bafana could make it to the finals of the World Cup despite having a string of international losses in the last year.
"Well, we have to be positive and remain focused because we see what the people have put up with the stadia, the infrastructure, nobody reckoned we'd get it done in time and we've come up with that with flying colours. So, I'm very optimistic, we just have to remain focused and be brave and do our thing," said Carnell.
South Africa will play fellow World Cup finalists Denmark at Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium on June 5, less than a week before the start of the tournament. The World Cup hosts will complete their pre-tournament preparations with the match at the new 95,000-capacity stadium, where South Africa meet Mexico in the opening match of the month-long tournament on June 11. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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