South Africa TEAMS

Center of attention
Host South Africa is expecting a lot out of speedy 28-year-old midfielder Steven Pienaar, who has gained fame outside of his homeland while starring for Everton of the English Premier League.

World-Everton's Pienaar carries South African hopes

JOHANNESBURG, May 18 (Reuters) - As the subject of speculation over a possible off-season move away from Everton to Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur, Steven Pienaar has a much higher profile than his South African team mates.

Since the diminutive, sinewy midfielder became a fan favourite at Premier League Everton, Pienaar has aroused expectations back home and will carry the bulk of the hosts' hopes in the World Cup finals.

It is a task the 28-year-old is quite capable of handling but his reserved nature holds him back from publicly claiming a place as talisman of the home team.

Born in the tough, mixed-race Johannesburg neighbourhood of Westbury, Pienaar's singular focus on football allowed him to resist the temptations of drugs and gang warfare that dominated the streets around his boyhood home.

He was sent away as 13-year-old to the South African Football Association's academy and earmarked as a prodigy. But after a multitude of matches for the country's junior teams, he was suddenly deemed too small and physically ineffective to make the professional ranks, and was ignored by most of the country's top sides.

His tireless running, smart positional play and unquestionable appetite for the ball found a home at Ajax Cape Town, where it soon became apparent that the others clubs had made an error of judgement.

From Cape Town he moved in 2001 to Ajax Amsterdam, where he played regularly and successfully in the Dutch league, and earned a transfer to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.

South Africa took him to the 2002 World Cup but as a junior squad member he got no playing time and little of a positive experience.

Pienaar found Germany tough, too, and his team mates cold, he has said in interviews. The style of football also passed over his head and left him often sidelined.

His career revived quickly at Everton, first on loan and then as an outright two-million-pound ($3.09-million) purchase by manager David Moyes.

Two full seasons since then have seen Pienaar become an invaluable team member at Goodison Park, despite a long-standing ankle problem that occasionally leaves him sidelined.World-Factbox on South Africa
May 18 (Reuters) - Factbox on World Cup hosts South Africa who are competing in Group A at the finals:

Colours: Yellow shirts and socks, green shorts

Nickname: Bafana Bafana (the young lads)

Previous World Cup appearances: 2: 1998, 2002

Best World Cup performance: Failed to get past the first round in previous appearances

Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira

Most capped player: Aaron Mokoena 97

Top goalscorer: Benni McCarthy 31

Talking points:

South Africa are hoping the recall of McCarthy, left out of last year's Confederations Cup, will help to end a goal drought although he has lacked form and game time since joining West Ham in January.

Injury means the promising Morgan Gould misses out just when he looked to have gained a regular berth in defence alongside captain Aaron Mokoena. It is not clear who will be the first choice to replace him, with Parreira leaving out the best candidate, Spanish-based Nasief Morris who had a disciplinary issue last year.

Another possible candidate was not even considered: Mbulelo Mabizela, a former captain of the national side and arguably one of South Africa's top defenders, has a long history of getting into trouble, even being sacked by English club Tottenham, and Parreira would have nothing to do with him because of his poor disciplinary record.

Players to watch:

Everton's Steven Pienaar was ranked among the best players in the English Premier League this season but has yet to reproduce his club form at national team. He carries a large burden of expectation. Alongside him in midfield Teko Modise has plenty of potential but seems weighed down in recent times by all the attention he has received.
South Africa Squad - Benni McCarthy Dropped From Bafana Final Squad

Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira and the South African football association have officially submitted their 23-man squad list to FIFA ahead of the World Cup, with the Brazilian coach naming the final team at a press conference this morning.

McCarthy's fitness was said to be the deciding factor, as he seemed unfit compared to those in competition with him. The lack of his name in the list as it was called prompted a surprised reaction from many members of the media at the press conference.

The other three Premier League based players made the final roster, with Aaron Mokoena, Kagisho Dikgacoi and Steven Pienaar set to form the backbone of the squad.

The five players who were dropped from the squad were McCarthy, goalkeeper Rowan Fernandez, youngster Franklin Cale, as well as defenders Bryce Moon and Innocent Mdledle.

Bafana will find a tough task ahead of them in the opening game of the World Cup, as Mexico provide a stern test for the hosts at Soccer City in Johannesburg.
Goalkeepers    -
Itumeleng Khune    Kaizer Chiefs
Moeneeb Josephs    Orlando Pirates
Shu-Aib Walters    Maritzburg United
Defenders    -
Matthew Booth    Mamelodi Sundowns
Siboniso Gaxa    Mamelodi Sundowns
Bongani Khumalo    SuperSport United
Tshepo Masilela    Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
Aaron Mokoena    Portsmouth (ENG)
Anele Ngcongca    Genk (BEL)
Siyabonga Sangweni    Golden Arrows
Lucas Thwala    Orlando Pirates
Midfielders    -
Lance Davids    Ajax Cape Town
Kagisho Dikgacoi    Fulham (ENG)
Thanduyise Khuboni    Golden Arrows
Reneilwe Letsholonyane    Kaizer Chiefs
Teko Modise    Orlando Pirates
Surprise Moriri    Mamelodi Sundowns
Steven Pienaar    Everton (ENG)
Macbeth Sibaya    Rubin Kazan (RUS)
Simphiwe Tshabalala    Kaizer Chiefs
Forwards    -
Katlego Mphela    Mamelodi Sundowns
Siyabonga Nomvete    Moroka Swallows
Bernard Parker    FC Twente (NED)