14 November 2019, by: Zach Lowy
After Amajita Promise in 2009, What Happened to SA Football?
For better or worse, 2009 was a monumental year in South Africa’s history. Jacob Zuma was elected as the fourth president in the republic’s history, ‘Mandela Day’ was created to honour former president Nelson Mandela’s legacy, and a wave of violent protests in impoverished townships began to mount, a wave that would soon turn into a tsunami over the coming years.
Nonetheless, most people will remember that period in the nation’s history for the football; the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was held in South Africa, as a tune-up for the 2010 FIFA World Cup that would become the first World Cup ever to be hosted by an African nation.
Few remember, however, that 2009 also saw South Africa achieve their greatest ever result in a youth World Cup. Amajimbo’s only trip to the U-17 World Cup saw them finish last in 2015, after picking up one point in a group of Costa Rica, Russia and North Korea.
And while they also exited in the group stage of the 1997 and 2017 editions of the U-20 World Cup, South Africa managed to advance to the knockout round in 2009 after beating Honduras 2-0 in the final group stage match.
When you compare this Amajita team to the one we had at the last World Cup, and the one we had in 2009, then this one is the worst. In terms of talent, fighting spirit, hunger and everything in between. 2009 remains the best followed by the previous World Cup. #Amajita
— A Dog That Bites (@SkepeMatsebane) May 31, 2019