Marcel Desailly warns FIFA World Cup rivals not to rule Bafana out

Desailly was in South Africa this weekend as part of the World Cup trophy tour as momentum builds towards the expanded 48-team global showpiece in Mexico, Canada and USA later this year. 

In an exclusive interview with SABC Sport, the 1998 World Cup-winning former defender shared his views on coach Hugo Broos and his Bafana squad. 

"It's quite simple – you've got the opportunity, out of the nine African teams that have qualified, to play this World Cup in a new format, so even being second or third, you can qualify yourself [for the knockouts]," said Desailly.

"So preparation will be key, and you are lucky you have a smart coach who knows exactly what he's talking about, he's tasted victory [at a major tournament], so he knows and has led them to third position during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

"So there's the belief that the coach will prepare the team well, no matter who is coming, because you are not favourites [to win] anyway – this is the truth.

"But there is belief and a possibility, and that's why we love football because you never know; it's not like other sports where the best team is supposed to win most times.

"In football you can still produce [a result] if you have that confidence, and we are so proud of Morocco for having been able to reach the semifinal of the World Cup for the first time in Africa's history, and we're looking forward to the next one.

"Yes, Senegal, Morocco, but Bafana is in the system so we hope they will have that capability of understanding the pressure and transpose it into performance."

Desailly believes the expanded tournament is a shot in the arm for Africa, who will now have nine representatives at the finals. 

"A new World Cup with a new format, we first have to digest the fact that we have three weeks of group stage before you go to the knockout stage, so let's see," he added.

"Apart from Bafana and France, let's put them aside, I see Portugal, why not? You know Messi had the luck to win finally the [World Cup] to be able to show the respect of the Argentinians over Diego Maradona, so why not Portugal? 

"They have a very good squad. They could be the surprise of this World Cup."

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