Bartlett: Korea, not Mexico, poses the biggest World Cup threat

SOUTH Africa's legendary striker Shaun Bartlett has reiterated South Korea’s strength will pose a greater challenge than the more-fancied Mexico at the 2026 Fifa World Cup for the nation.

- HERMAN GIBBS

The former Bafana Bafana player, revered for his contributions to the national team’s success, is urging the team to prepare for a tough encounter against the Koreans.

At 53-year old, Bartlett remains an iconic figure in South African football history, with a remarkable tally of 29 goals in 74 appearances, making him the second-highest scorer for his country. He played a pivotal role in helping South Africa clinch the African Nations Cup in 1996.

He also made a memorable impact at the 1998 Fifa World Cup, becoming the first South African player to score a brace in a World Cup match, against Saudi Arabia.

Reflecting on Bafana Bafana’s group stage fixtures, Bartlett said: "The funny thing is that everybody assumes that Mexico will be the most difficult game.

"I think the Korea game will be the toughest because those guys will run for 95-105 minutes. They are also very technically skilled.