Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterWorld Cup 2026 is now in full swing, with a number of groups already taking shape.The tournament kicked off with Mexico hosting South Africa, and there have already been some relative surprises such as the way Brazil initially looked shellshocked by the attacking intent of Morocco.And not everyone has got off to the best start, with first-timers Curacao falling to a 7-1 defeat against four-time champions Germany.Benni McCarthy slams horrific South Africa lossOne of those licking their wounds after the first round of fixtures is South Africa, who on the face of it only lost 2-0 at Mexicos Azteca home.However, in truth, they probably got away lightly, and thats including the fact that they were on the receiving end of two straight red cards. You may like South Africa squad World Cup 2026: The 26-man selection facing Mexico World Cup day one highlights - Five goals, three red cards, tears of joy and the dreaded long throw Mexico vs South Africa prediction as El Tri open the biggest World Cup in history Former South Africa international Benni McCarthy, who was a coach at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag and turned out for Blackburn Rovers and West Ham as a player, was not impressed.They were horrific, McCarthy told the BBCs Mark Chapman about that South Africa performance, while working as pundit ahead of Ivory Coast vs Ecuador. I couldn't believe what I saw. I expected South Africa to come, maybe not beat Mexico, but at least give a good showcase of, these are our strengths, but we lost our complete identity.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Bafana Bafana have games against Czech Republic and South Korea to come, but their opening gambit has already spooked McCarthy.I think, Czech Republic, when you look at the match against South Korea, they've targeted South Korea because of the height-wise, and they were bombing in balls, left, right, and centre: free kicks, corner kicks, throw-ins, long throws.And they analysed South Africa and they'll have figured South Africa don't do well in stopping crosses in [either]. So that's another way for them to probably target South Africa in that way, and also switching off and marking the Raul Jimenez goal.Probed by Chapman, the South African striker revealed how low the mood is back at home.People just couldn't believe that we never really showcased what South African football is about, he admitted.And I don't think we're gonna have the opportunity to do so now, because they'll be calculating not to lose both games, and then maybe we won't come out and play the way we really want to play.TOPICSWorld Cup 2026Mark WhiteSocial Links NavigationContent EditorMark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robsons time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.
