Johannesburg, June 2 (IANS) President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged South Africans to rally behind the country’s national team as it prepares for its first FIFA World Cup appearance since 2010, with an opening match against Mexico on June 11.

In his weekly newsletter published on Monday, Ramaphosa said Bafana Bafana, the nickname of the country’s men’s football team, carries the hopes and aspirations of more than 62 million South Africans as it heads to the tournament, which will be co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada from June 11 to July 19.

The team departed for Mexico on Monday after all players and staff, except one assistant coach, received their visas.

Ramaphosa described the squad as ambassadors of a diverse nation, saying its composition reflects South Africa’s unity across many races, languages, and cultures. He added that the transformation of sport in the country embodies constitutional values, including respect, fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity, reports Xinhua.

Drawing on sport’s role in uniting the country since the end of apartheid, Ramaphosa recalled the image of former President Nelson Mandela wearing a Springbok jersey at the 1995 Rugby World Cup final.

While expressing hope that Bafana Bafana could bring home the trophy, Ramaphosa said the team’s participation itself held profound national significance. “Regardless of how Bafana Bafana fare in the tournament, their participation is as rich with meaning as the 1995 Rugby World Cup,” he wrote.

The president linked the team’s return to the World Cup with what he described as a broader national renewal, citing democratic progress, the strength of the Constitution, the launch of the National Dialogue process, and signs of economic recovery. He called on South Africans to celebrate both the team’s achievement and the country’s progress toward a united, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic society.

“For 90 minutes, as they play for our country, we will not be divided by language, race, province, club or circumstance,” Ramaphosa wrote. “One Team. One Nation. Behind Bafana. Behind South Africa. United by our Flag, inspired by our Team. 62 million cheering voices. One Dream.”

–IANS

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