Former Premier League star backs Bafana Bafana to beat Mexico 2‑0

Despite growing concerns among supporters after a five‑match winless streak, former Bafana Bafana captain Steven Pienaar has expressed confidence that his country will defeat co‑hosts Mexico 2‑0 in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Bafana Bafana will open their Group A campaign against Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca on Thursday, 11 June.

The build‑up to the tournament has done little to calm supporters’ nerves.

Hugo Broos’ side has not recorded a victory in 2026, a run that dates back to their Round of 16 defeat to Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in January.

Recent warm‑up matches against Panama and Nicaragua also failed to inspire confidence, leaving many to question whether the squad is ready for football’s biggest stage.

Furthermore, the 1996 AFCON champions face a daunting task in Group A, with all three opponents ranked significantly higher in the latest FIFA rankings.

Mexico are currently 14th in the world, South Korea 25th, and the Czech Republic 39th. South Africa enter the tournament as the 60th‑ranked nation.

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But former Everton midfielder Pienaar, who represented South Africa at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, believes the current Mexico side is not as strong as it once was.

“I think it’s going to be 2‑0 for Bafana Bafana and I think this team is much better than the team we had and Mexico is not as good as the team from 2010,” he told The South African.

Former head coach Gordon Igesund also backs Bafana Bafana.

According to Igesund, the team has already shown resilience by overcoming numerous challenges during the qualification campaign.

“We do know it’s going to be a tough game, but I think we have the character. Getting into this stage was very difficult,” he told SABC.

“At some point we lost points, there were some difficulties, but they overcame all the obstacles along the way.”