Benni McCarthy: Harambee Stars Boss Tips South Africa to Overcome Mexico Defeat and Cause Major Upsets

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy is backing South Africa to bounce back from their upset against Mexico in their opening FIFA World Cup match.

Co-hosts Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 at the Estadio Azteca, courtesy of goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez.

The encounter made history as the first-ever World Cup opening game to feature three red cards. South Africa were reduced to nine men after Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off, while Mexico's César Montes also saw red in stoppage time.

Speaking on Sporty TV, Benni McCarthy noted that South Africa’s squad has a strong physical foundation, particularly in defence, where the unit is capable of competing with the demands of top international opposition.

The Harambee Stars coach emphasised that modern tournaments require players who can cope with the intensity and physical challenges posed by European and South American sides.

While acknowledging the effort and mentality within the group, he suggested that only a few players stand out in terms of size. He also implied that certain selection decisions might have been approached differently, particularly in relation to the goalkeeping position, where he felt alternative options could have been considered.

“Physically, we have presence. Every single defender in that team is a good unit. You need to match the physicality of European and South American teams. I think Mbokazi is probably the only defender that's a decent size, but he's got a heart of a lion,” Benni McCarthy said.

“There are a couple of names that, if I were in the position, I think I would have probably gone a different route, especially with the Brandon Peterson case.”

The former Manchester United attacking coach expressed confidence in the overall quality of the squad, describing it as balanced and competitive.

Benni McCarthy highlighted that Bafana Bafana possess enough physical strength to cope better than South Korea and is capable of matching the Czech Republic in direct, physical battles.

The Bafana Bafana all-time top scorer further suggested that the group has enough potential to spring surprises against stronger opposition, indicating belief that the team is well-positioned to challenge expectations and produce unexpected results in the tournament.

“Overall, I like the squad. I think they're solid. And physically, we can definitely out-muscle South Korea. And we can go pound for pound with the Czech Republic. I think we're good enough that we can cause major upsets in that group,” he shared.