2018 World Cup: SA trio living

2018 World Cup: SA trio living their dream in Russia

It may have taken them 20 years, but they are finally living their dream.

2018 World Cup: SA trio living

Not even Bafana Bafana’s absence from the 2018 World Cup was enough to deter three young men from Limpopo from waving the South African flag in Russia.

Fikile Mbalula is not the only Saffer making waves at the global showpiece event, Fhatuwani Mpfuni, Thami Khuzwayo and Brian Moshoeshoe caught World Cup fever 20 years ago, when it was hosted by France, and have since been determined to make their dream of attending the tournament a reality one day.

How the trio saved up for the 2018 World Cup

As The Guardian reports, the trio missed out in 2010 when the event came to these shores, as they could not afford tickets, but are finally living their dream eight years later, as they managed to save up for the once-in-a-lifetime trip to Russia.

“When I walked into the stadium I was muted for five minutes and just recollecting the memories,” Mpfuni told the publication.

“In 1998 I fell in love with football and dreamt of going to a World Cup. But when you’re from a village where you don’t even have things like running water, it can seem like something that will never actually happen.”

Like many South Africans who could not fully experience the tournament when it was on home soil, the three chaps started to save up for the 2014 edition held in Brazil, but had to give up on that dream as they fell short on funds.

They, however, managed to dust themselves up, and continued to save and, when Russia 2018 came along, they had enough to jet off, and Mpfuni is also planning to be present in Qatar when the event kicks off there in 2022, although he admits it may be a little tricky this time.

“I’m getting married soon so it might be a bit more difficult to save,” he said.

Like a lot of their compatriots back home – and in Russia – Mpfuni, Khuzwayo and Moshoeshoe have had to adopt other African countries to support, thanks to Bafana’s non-participation. But they are doing so waving the South African flag.

Read: 2018 World Cup: Fixtures, results, standings and live TV schedule, 21 June