[0:23]past is a lesson. I can still see it now, I can still feel it now.
[0:35]Ça coûte pas cher de rêver. Il faut beaucoup de sacrifice pour y arriver. beaucoup d'émotions ça s
[1:05]South Africa's football identity cannot be separated from June 11th, 2010. The opening night of Africa's first World Cup. The sights, the sounds, and the colors of a continent shown to the world.
[1:24]I can still see it now, I can still like feel it now.
[1:44]When the game kicked off we were about late, so we actually walked over the footballing field where I grew up where I played. And I can remember just hearing a lot of sirens, whoters, just lot of noise. the call that's
[2:18]But then, you know, we started running because we heard all the excitement. Once we got to the place and we saw that we were leading one out, it was for moments, amazing.
[2:32]Just pure, pure joy, like the whole country is screaming like. I think I could hear the people from Capitol and I was in like I don't only think it was our country celebrated. I think it was a goal celebrated all around the world just because of what it meant um first World Cup in Africa. It was meant to be the spark that ignited a new air for South Africa football. But what followed was a decade of decline and disappointment. Le football sud-africain était un peu perdu, oublié après la Coupe du monde en 2010. Le premier sentiment que j'avais quand je suis arrivé à l'Afrique du Sud, c'était surtout du négativisme. Il y a rien qui était bon. L'entraîneur n'était pas bon, l'équipe n'était pas bon, euh, la fédération n'était pas bon.
[3:30]check. Le résultat n'était pas comme comme tout le monde attendait.
[4:04]We've taken what he's taught us over this years. I mean few years ago, no one gave us a chance. The final of the final run qualification and on course to progress automatically as group winners. But after suspended midfielder to was field in the 3-0 victory over, the result was over turned. Three points lost, left them needing at least four points from their final two fixtures to retain top spot. On était très fâché et peut-être ça nous donner une motivation.
[4:45]I think we've also established ourselves as a demon that I think he's want to reckon with in Africa. There's a genuine brotherhood. There's a genuine respect for one another, and I think that is pushed us to where we are. Après tout du du vestiaire, on a regardé le stade qui était vide. Maintenant, les stades sont pleins. It hasn't been a easy journey, but it's all worth it to see where we are as a team, as a country. We're going to America. Yeah, just this is amazing.
[5:25]This is the opener for the World Cup. June 11th, Mexico City, Mexico, South Africa. A huge game. 48 games and like we get drawn against each other again. So I think, oh my gosh, like it's the same feature just in the reverse. The only person who could have wrote this is God. Amazing. There's two matches that stand out at the World Cup. It's the opening game and the final. Moi il y a une partie sentimentale parce que il y a 40 ans, j'étais avec l'équipe nationale belge au Mexique aussi, en Coupe du Monde de 86. J'ai joué le match d'ouverture contre le Mexique aussi. 2010 is not just about results, it was about visibility, pride, and honor. The return in 2026 does not try to recreate that. It honors it. Yeah, we need to stick through to our identity. That's what's deeply rooted inside of us. Um that's what comes from playing on the dusty streets, playing with your friends, kick about. But there's also the professional side, so we need to find the perfect balance. We know what to do, when to do it and how to do it.
[12:37]My mom and dad, they'd never really mentioned anything about England. Obviously living in England, you get a conversation oh, he should represent England, but it was never a conversation I ever had really. Um, came and I what 19 when I was 1920, so I was never going to turn it down. For my family, oh gosh, it means a lot just cheering on and the cheering me on and just it's great support and yeah, just love every moment. It's just it's a drink to be honest. There was a lot of talent in the previous side but I feel like now it's coming in abundance. I feel like when we do come together such a special group, we just need to prove to the world that you can be up there and compete with everyone else. I feel like that's the only question right now.
[13:30]Since making their FIFA World Cup debut in 2006, Ghana had qualified for four of the last five tournaments. The question is no longer whether the black stars belong to this level, but how far can they can take them. Ghana returned to the FIFA World Cup following a disappointing campaign in Qatar 2022. But in truth, few moments could ever match the expectations created by their extraordinary run to the 2010 quarter finals.
[14:06]Yeah, I just remember that game, just like, wow, she's a top nation. We can complete with all of these nations. I remember being at my uncle's house. You were screaming just like that, think oh my god, I'll go through the.
[14:35]And then obviously, uh, the pen was missed. We are going to have the penalty shoot out here. has to save it.
[14:50]Eu estava com Portugal ter teve uma participação prestigiante. Agora não é tempo de prestigio, nem de reputação, é tempo de entrega, de de de resultados.
[15:33]New chapter, go make new friends, meet new people.
[15:41]Patriotism and hard work run deep through the squad. Qualities and body by Antoine. Just eight years after playing non-league football for Bat City. He was on a plane to Manchester following a 64 million pound January move from Bournemouth. So real, to be honest, I mean, I didn't think I would ever make as far for just being a professional and so representing a nation. Yeah, means everything and yeah, for my family, oh gosh it means a lot. To say that I'm going to work up. Yeah, it's it's amazing. É brilhante, só é mais uma daquelas páginas que o futebol escreve. É interessante e eu digo isto, o futebol é inovador, é surpreendente e traz sempre uma história diferente.
[16:33]Quem, ainda bem, que estas surpresas e estas casualidades acontecem.
[17:46]we underrestimate us a little bit, but it's good. The good thing is that in football, you always have a tournament or a game to to put that right. Ja er niet over de contract, er niet over mij proprio, er over 33 miljoen van Ghana. que os corações a baterem, mas quando o jogo começar tem que ser só um um um um batimento cardíaco. We just need to prove to the world that you can be up there and compete with everyone else once we do that, that'll be the story.
[18:21]Group L sees Ghana face Panama, 2018 finalists, Croatia and one of the tournaments favorites, England. The Black Stars get underway against Panama in Toronto on June 17th. Before heading east over the border to Boston, where England awaits. Ghana stay on the East Coast of the US for the final group game, but this time, the venue will be the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia. Algeria are back at the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 2014, and the nation's most distinguished actors make their long awaited return to the world stage.
[19:03]12 years ago, Algeria announced themselves to the footballing world by reaching the out stages for the first time in their history.
[19:21]Moi c'était ma première grande compétition, j'étais jeune encore, je venais d'arriver, j'ai pas énormément joué mais euh le fait de participer à le fait d'être dans le groupe, le fait d'être autour de cette de cette équipe, de cette génération, franchement c'était c'était magnifique. Les souvenirs du début jusqu'à la fin de la qualification en Algérie jusqu'au jusqu'au dernier match euh contre l'Allemagne où je pense on a fait bonne figure, on a montré un vraiment une belle image de l'équipe du du du pays. Tout c'est pas forcément un match en particulier par un souvenir mais vraiment tout le chemin parcouru de la qualification jusqu'à jusqu'à la fin.
[20:05]In 2024, former Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic arrived. Sicuramente ho cercato di portare serenità dentro la squadra e renderli abbordabili per supportare più anche resistenza verso estero. Perché arrivando c'era tanta pressione, certe cose che non non andavano bene. Sono riuscito di creare un gruppo positivo e un gruppo che è disposto di lavorare insieme per fiertà del paese.
[20:49]Petkovic side swept through qualification, winning the group by seven points. The experience of and was perfectly complimented by the effervescent. who scored 10 of Algeria's 24 goals. C'est à peu près de Coupe du monde, on a eu du mal un peu à se à se relever mais à force de de travail, de persévérance, je pense qu'on a fait on a fait le nécessaire pour retrouver enfin une Coupe du monde après deux échecs. Mais on a on a pas lâché, c'est ce qui nous termine aussi comme comme nation et comme comme équipe. C'est à peu près de Coupe du monde, on a eu du mal un peu à se à se relever mais à force de de travail, de persévérance, je pense qu'on a fait on a fait le nécessaire pour retrouver enfin une Coupe du monde après deux échecs. Mais on a on a pas lâché, c'est ce qui nous termine aussi comme comme nation et comme comme équipe.
[22:15]Ce n'est pas un sentiment facile à à gérer mais bon on verra bien. Il y aura il y aura beaucoup d'émotions, c'est sûr et et ouais, je suis pressé de de savoir un peu. franchement dans ce genre de truc on pense pas trop à E penso noi ce l'abbiamo qualità per dimostrare anche questo su campo.
[23:54]The past is the past and must remain.
[23:59]Now new voices, new styles, and new ideas will decide how these four African nations fair against the world's best. This is their return.
[24:13]And perhaps their rebirth.
