Brazil legend backs SA
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Johannesburg - Legendary World Cup winner and former Brazil captain Cafu, describes the 2010 World Cup finals being played in South Africa "as beyond expectations."
Speaking as a guest at an international informal media briefing, Cafu, who played in three World Cup finals, winning two, said: "What South Africa has done is far beyond expectations."
Cafu, who has a record 142 caps for Brazil and played most of his career in Italy for Roma and Inter Milan, said that despite five of the six African teams falling out in the first round, African soccer had improved in the past five years.
"I can see an African country winning the World Cup in the future, but it is going to take team work, team spirit and players taking responsibility.
"It also takes a lot of determination to win the World Cup."
Cafu said Ghana, who play Uruguay in the quarterfinals of the global showpiece at Soccer City on Friday night, had the potential to be world champions.
"What has helped improve African soccer is that a number of their top players are playing in Europe, and by doing so are becoming role models for the youth of Africa.
"Ghana are a good example of this."
He said he was disappointed that Bafana Bafana, coached by his mentor Carlos Alberto Parreria, were one of the African sides to crash out in the first round, but added the people of South Africa had been magnificent by supporting the event after their team had gone out of the tournament.
CEO of the 2010 Organising Committee, Danny Jordaan, agreed with Cafu that Africa is on the brink of world soccer history, but he cautioned: "As South Africans and Africans in general, we have to prepare better for the World Cup.
"We need to develop players from grassroots. Ghana have done this and they are reaping the rewards of the teams winning world under-20 and Olympic titles.
"Other African countries need to follow their example and see an African side emerge as champions in Brazil in 2014."
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