When the draw laid down the contenders of the Group A of the first round, the international football specialists labeled France as the favorite, and South Africa as a team that will struggle to make it to the second round having also to compete with Uruguay and Mexico !
“Why do we bet on South Africa ...”

SOUTH AFRICA
Our Footballproafrica.com specialists believe that "Bafana Bafana" will get to the second round!
First of all, South Africa has experienced players with very good technical skills. The captain of the squad, Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth, PL England) is probably the symbol of the team; with the recent called up Bryce Moon (Panathinaikos, L1 Greece), and experienced Siboniso Gaxa (Mamelodi Sundowns, PSL South Africa) and Tsiepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa, L1 Israel), Bafana Bafana defense concedes very few goals. In the midfield, the talented Steven Pienaar (Everton, PL England) will have the difficult responsibility to feed the two strikers, Katlego Mphela and Bernard Parker with masterpieces passes.

Second of all, South Africa teams always perform during international competitions held at home. In the nineties, South African won the Rugby world Cup (1995) before winning the African Nations Cup one year later (1996). South African athletes seem to transcend when they host a competition! Looking back at the Nations Confederation Cup held in South Africa last August, despite a slow start against Iraq and New Zeeland, the Bafana Bafana played two reference games against Brazil and Spain. South Africa lost 1-0 against Brazil in the semi-finals, and, four days later, lost again 2-3 on penalties shootouts against Spain, the European champion (final score aet 2-2).

The last advantage but not least, is the fact that South Africa will be playing in front of its supporters and more than 1500m above the sea level. Something not to neglect when the  teams will be playing every 4 to 5 days!

MEXICO
Since 1994, Mexico has participated to all Final Stages of the FIFA World Cup, and most of all, they always qualified to the second round of the competition, even when drawn in a very strong group. In 2002, Mexico finished first of a group with Italy, Croatia (3rd in 1998) and Equator. Cohesive, very difficult to maneuver, footballproafrica.com specialists believe that Mexico is the best collective team of the group. Mexico stars like Raphael Marquez (Barcelona), Guillermo Franco (West Ham United), Andres Guardado (Deportivo La Coruna), and even the young Carlos Vela (Arsenal) will put their experience and skills for the good of the team.

URUGUAY
One specific of the Uruguayan team is to play on a 3-5-2. A tactic that allow more various ways to put their top striker Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid, Spain L1) in the best conditions to score goals. But the player to watch will certainly be Luis Suarez, the young striker from Ajax Amsterdam - A terror for the "Eredivisie" defenders in the Netherlands. Luis Suarez already scored 18 goals in 17 league games this season! Uruguay is also composed of several individuals who play in Spain and in the best Portuguese clubs. The only problem of  the "Celeste" is to be able to beat the best teams on day, and collapse against smaller formations the next day. The first game against France will be key for Forlan and Co ...

FRANCE
France is undoubtedly the best team on paper with stars playing for the best clubs in the most competitive leagues in Europe. The problem in football is that there are only 11 players on the field and the collective and cohesion in a team are vital elements. In 2009 "les bleus" went through the play-offs to reach the final stage of the World Cup with a very unconvincing display. In four years, Coach Raymond Domenech has not managed to make France play like a team, hoping during each game that the inspiration of its stars will make the difference. The French Manager also failed to set a proper defensive line-up, insisting on testing different combinations in each single game! The French supporters remain nostalgic of the golden quartet "Lizarazu - Desailly - Blanc - Thuram"!

Our experts believe that this group is certainly the most balanced of the Final Round.
South Africa 50%
Mexico 50%
Uruguay 50%
France 50%

List of players used by South Africa in 2009

Itumeleng KHUNE (GK), Kaizer Chiefs (PSL, South Africa)
Rowen FERNANDEZ (GK), Amrinia Bielefeld (L2, Germany)
Brian BALOYI (GK), Mamelodi Sundowns (PSL, South Africa)
Emile BARON (GK), Supersport United (PSL, South Africa)

Siboniso GAXA, Mamelodi Sundowns (PSL, South Africa)
Benson MHLONGO, Orlando Pirates (PSL, South Africa)
Tsepo MASILELA, Maccabi Haifa (L1, Israel)
Aaron MOKOENA (C), Portsmouth (PL, England)
Thembinkosi FANTENI, Maccabi Haifa (L1, Israel)
Bryce MOON, Panathinaikos (L1, Greece)
Bevan FRANSMAN, Maccabi Netanya (L1, Israel)
Bongani KHUMALO, Supersport United (PSL, South Africa)
Anele NGCONGCA, Genk (L1, Belgium)
Morgan GOULD, Supersport United (PSL, South Africa)
Matthew BOOTH, Mamelodi Sundowns (PSL, South Africa)
Innocent MDLEDLE, Orlando Pirates (PSL, South Africa)

Macbeth SIBAYA, Rubin Kazan (L1, Russia)
Lance DAVIDS, Ajax Cape Town (PSL, South Africa)
Siphiwe TSHABALALA, Kaizer Chiefs (PSL, South Africa)
Steven PIENAAR, Everton (PL, England)
Teko MODISE, Orlando Pirates (PSL, South Africa)
Kagisho DIKGACOI, Fulham (PL, England)
Elrio van HEERDEN, Blackburn Rovers (PL, England)

Bernard PARKER, FC Twente (L1, Netherlands)
Katlego MPHELA, Mamelodi Sundowns (PSL, South Africa)
Katlego MASHEGO, Orlando Pirates (PSL, South Africa)
Benni McCARHY, Blackburn Rovers (PL, England)
Richard HENYEKANE, Golden Arrows (PSL, South Africa)
Sthembiso NGCOBO, Free State Stars (PSL, South Africa)