‘Fagrie Lakay got his pants’ — Bafana star-struck by France and Mbappé

Bafana Bafana were not just overwhelmed by the obvious gulf in class between themselves and world champions France in Tuesday's 5-0 drubbing in Lille but, by their admissions after the game, the players were also somewhat star-struck.

Bafana captain Ronwen Williams played a blinder in goal, and his saves kept the scoreline at the packed Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille from being higher.

Some of Bafana's class of 1996, though — who had a golf day in Bryanston on Tuesday and watched the game at a function later — might have cringed at how star-struck SA, some of whom were seen taking selfies with France's superstars after the final whistle, seemed.

The 1996 Bafana won the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil, and a few months later were famously 2-0 up against then-world champions Brazil — who were in the latter stages of a 35-match unbeaten run — at FNB Stadium, before capitulating 3-2. In a friendly against France in Lens in 1997 that SA team lost 2-1.

Under Philippe Troussier Bafana did lose 3-0 in the opening game of the France 1998 World Cup against the hosts, who went on to win the tournament, but warriors such as Mark Fish, Lucas Radebe, Phil Masinga and David Nyathi never seemed likely to admit to being autograph hunters.

It is a new era, and many of coach Hugo Broos' young Bafana are wet behind the ears. Still, their admissions of excitement at the jerseys they managed to procure — and two-goal hero Kylian Mbappé's pants — do raise eyebrows.

“I was lucky to get the superstar's, I got Mbappé's jersey. Fagrie Lakay got the pants, and I saw all the photos of Mbappé without the pants,” Williams chuckled.

“I mean they're so humble, so nice — very nice people. The things you read about them ... I mean N'Golo Kanté. They were so nice — good to see, and we enjoyed it.”

Williams had nothing but praise for Mbappé, who Broos identified before the game as “one of the best players in the world”.

“We all knew what Mbappé could do,” the SA captain said. “But now seeing it first-hand, it's amazing how good he is. He does everything at such a high level.

“And I don't think I've seen anyone so quick. And he's in control of the ball.

“All of them, they're superstars. If you look at [substitute Paul] Pogba, he just comes there with his presence and confidence. And everything just looks so easy to them. But that's the level that they're playing at.”

Williams said Bafana will grow from the experience in Lille, and pointed out that Broos' under-construction Bafana have had a good record against African opposition, including running Ghana close in last year's 2022 World Cup qualifying group stage.

“Matches like this [against France] are where you learn the most about your team, about your players, and how they adapt to situations.

“Since the coach has come in we've played eight games against African opposition, won five, drawn two and lost one. So it shows that we're on a good, positive direction.

“Obviously playing the world champs is not easy — we need to be honest and say they are on a different level than us.

“But in saying that, last week we played Guinea [in Friday’s 0-0 friendly draw in Belgium] and we were bossing the game — we had as many chances as France had against us.

“So against African opposition, who obviously we face more, we're comfortable and we can compete.”

Ghana edged Nigeria in the final round of qualifying to reach Qatar 2022, thanks to Tuesday night's 1-1 away draw.

SA were edged on the same points (13) and goal difference but less goals scored, and a controversial penalty decision in the 1-0 defeat in Cape Coast in the last game, in World Cup qualifying Group G.

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