Goals are the New Gold in South Africa
BY BLAIR VORSATZ
The South African national football team, Bafana Bafana, has gone 2-3-0 in their last five games, and is hosting the World Cup this year. The South African Football Association has agreed to pay the team a one million rand (136,000 USD) bonus for every goal scored, to be split among the 29-man team.
The team has only scored 32 goals in their last 34 games, so this cash reward is meant to inspire them to perform better in the five games prior to the World Cup and in the first round of competition. They’ve never made it out of the first round and have only one win in FIFA World Cup play, which was in 2002 against Slovenia (1 – 0). The first round of the tournament begins with Mexico (June 11th), Uruguay (June 16th), and France (June 22nd). The top two teams of each grouping advances into the first round of play where the 16 teams face single-game elimination.
It’s surprising the hosts of the FIFA World Cup need motivation beyond national pride. South Africa is currently ranked 90th out of 208 national teams in the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). South Africa received a free pass into the World Cup and did not need to qualify as one of the field of 32 teams because they were selected to be the tournament host.
It’s part of a new policy to rotate the cup among the different football confederations (this plan was abandoned in October of 2007). There has been little confidence in South Africa’s ability to host the cup and rumors of relocation and back-up plans have circulated across the media. Many believe that Bafana Bafana don’t deserve to be in the competition. With such disrespect and doubt shown South Africa’s team, I’d be surprised if cash rewards make any impact on their effort and success.
South Africa has never had a better reason to win with their whole country cheering them on. Also, the total prize money to be distributed is listed at $420 million (winning the tournament is only worth $30 million), so an extra million rand hardly makes a difference. To think Bafana Bafana needs any additional bribery is insulting to the team. However, it should give them further motivation to succeed and prove all doubters wrong.
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