South Africa national under-20 soccer team

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South Africa under-20

Nickname(s)	Amajita (The Boys)
Association	South African Football Association
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	COSAFA
Head coach	Vacant
FIFA code	RSA
First colours Second colours
First international
South Africa 2–0 Swaziland (Somhlolo, Swaziland; 11 December 1993)[1]
Biggest win
South Africa 8–0 Lesotho (Moruleng, South Africa; 7 December 2016)
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Appearances	4 (first in 1997)
Best result	Round of 16 (2009)

The South Africa national under-20 football team (Amajita), is a youth football (soccer) team, which represents South Africa and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. The team's main objectives are to qualify and play at the African Youth Championship and FIFA U-20 World Cup. The team has played at seven African Youth Championships and three FIFA U-20 World Cups.

History[edit]

The team was started in 1993, when SAFA decided to form an under-20 team. The team's greatest achievements to date include a second-place finish at the 1997 African Youth Championship, hosted in Morocco and qualifying for the 1997, 2009 and 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup and 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup^[2].^[3]

Player eligibility[edit]

Players who are selected, will be 20 or younger in the following World Cup year. With the next FIFA U-20 World Cup being held in Poland in 2019, players need to have been born on or after 1 January 1999.

Schedule and recent results[edit]

The following is a list of matches from the past twenty-four months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Date	Team	Result	Score	Competition	Location
12 December 2016	Botswana	W	1-0	2016 COSAFA U-20 Cup	Moruleng Stadium, Moruleng, South Africa
14 December 2016	Angola	W	5-0	2016 COSAFA U-20 Cup Semi-final	Moruleng Stadium, Moruleng, South Africa
16 December 2016	Zambia	W	2-1	2016 COSAFA U-20 Cup Final	Moruleng Stadium, Moruleng, South Africa
12 February 2017	Zambia	L	1-2	Friendly	Nkoloma Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia
19 February 2017	Mali	D	1-1	Friendly	Peter Mokaba Stadium, Limpopo, South Africa
27 February 2017	Cameroon	W	3-1	2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations	Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia
2 March 2017	Senegal	L	3-4	2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations	Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia
5 March 2017	Sudan	W	3-1	2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations	Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia
8 March 2017	Zambia	L	0-1 (a.e.t.)	2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations Semi-final	National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia
12 March 2017	Guinea	L	1-2	2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations	National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia

Current squad[edit]

The following 21 players are selected for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup to be held in Poland between 23 May – 15 June 2019.^[4]

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Club
1	1GK	Zwelithini Matlaba	(1999-10-30) 30 October 1999 (age 24)	Orlando Pirates
2	2DF	Samson Mbuyane	(1999-05-27) 27 May 1999 (age 24)	Ajax Cape Town
3	2DF	Dumisani Mthembu	(1999-12-20) 20 December 1999 (age 24)	Cape Umoya
4	2DF	Nhlanhla Sithole	(1999-02-06) 6 February 1999 (age 25)	Mamelodi Sundowns
5	2DF	Edgar Nxumalo	(1999-04-14) 14 April 1999 (age 25)	AmaZulu
6	2DF	Kingsley Gwala	(1999-03-03) 3 March 1999 (age 25)	Orlando Pirates
7	3MF	Siyabonga Ntshangase	(2003-11-13) 13 November 2003 (age 20)	Orlando Pirates
8	3MF	Oswald Mkhize	(1999-12-11) 11 December 1999 (age 24)	Kaizer Chiefs
9	3MF	Mthokozisi Dlamini	(2001-08-25) 25 August 2001 (age 22)	SuperSport United
10	4FW	Bongani Ntuli	(2000-09-03) 3 September 2000 (age 23)	Vitória Guimarães
11	4FW	Jabulani Mbeki	(2003-05-18) 18 May 2003 (age 20)	Real Kings F.C.
12	4FW	Christopher Mabaso	(2000-04-30) 30 April 2000 (age 23)	Orlando Pirates
13	2DF	Augustine Mofokeng	(2000-02-07) 7 February 2000 (age 24)	Bidvest Wits
14	3MF	Lehlohonolo Mphahlele	(2000-03-10) 10 March 2000 (age 24)	SuperSport United
15	3MF	Ayanda Ngubane	(1999-02-05) 5 February 1999 (age 25)	Mamelodi Sundowns
16	1GK	Destiny Ndlovu	(2000-03-27) 27 March 2000 (age 24)	Mamelodi Sundowns
17	3MF	Moeketsi Radebe	(1999-11-08) 8 November 1999 (age 24)	Real Kings
18	4FW	Clyde Ramabulana	(1999-01-08) 8 January 1999 (age 25)	Jong Ajax
19	3MF	Shaun Ratshikhopha	(1999-08-28) 28 August 1999 (age 24)	Braga
20	1GK	Nkhangweni Tshivhase	(1999-01-07) 7 January 1999 (age 25)	Cape Umoya
21	2DF	Lindokuhle Buthelezi	(1999-02-24) 24 February 1999 (age 25)	Mamelodi Sundowns

Notable former players[edit]

Players who have previously played for the under-20 team, and have since gone on to play for the senior team:

• Benni McCarthy
• Matthew Booth
• Thulani Serero
• Stanton Fredericks
• Thulani Hlatshwayo
• Darren Keet
• Andile Jali
• Junaid Hartley

Tournament records[edit]

FIFA U-20 World Cup record[edit]

U-20 World Cup
Hosts/Year	Result	Position	GP	W	D*	L	GS	GA
1977-1993	Banned
1995	did not qualify
1997	Group Stage	20th	3	0	1	2	2	6
1999 to 2007	did not qualify
2009	Round of 16	15th	4	1	1	2	5	8
2011	did not qualify
2013
2015
2017	Group Stage	21st	3	0	1	2	1	4
2019	Group Stage	19th	3	0	1	2	3	7
2023	did not qualify
2025	to be determined
	Round of 16	4/24	10	1	3	6	8	18

Africa U-20 Cup of Nations record[edit]

Africa U-20 Cup of Nations
Hosts/Year	Result	GP	W	D*	L	GS	GA
1979 to 1993	did not enter
1995	did not qualify
1997	Second Place	5	2	1	2	5	5
1999	did not qualify
2001	Group Stage	3	0	1	2	3	7
2003	Group Stage	3	0	1	2	3	7
2005	did not qualify
2007
2009	Fourth Place	5	2	0	3	8	9
2011	Group Stage	3	1	0	2	4	6
2013	did not qualify
2015	Group Stage	3	1	0	2	6	6
2017	Fourth Place	5	2	0	4	10	9
2019	Third Place	5	1	3	0	2	2
2021	did not qualify
2023

COSAFA U-20 Challenge Cup record[edit]

COSAFA U-20 Cup
Hosts/Year	Result	GP	W	D*	L	GS	GA
1983-1990	did not enter	-	-	-	-	-	-
1993	Quarter-finals	4	2	0	2	8	3
1995	Runners-up	5	1	3	1	3	3
1997	Unknown	?	?	?	?	?	?
1999	Runners-up	6	4	1	1	15	6
2000	Champions	5	4	1	0	6	1
2001	Unknown	?	?	?	?	?	?
2002	Unknown	?	?	?	?	?	?
2003	Unknown	?	?	?	?	?	?
2004	Champions	?	?	?	?	?	?
2005	Unknown	?	?	?	?	?	?
2006	Champions	?	?	?	?	?	?
2007	Runners-up	?	?	?	?	?	?
2008	Champions	?	?	?	?	?	?
2009	Champions	4	4	0	0	16	1
2010	Group Stage	2	0	0	2	1	4
2013	Champions	5	4	1	0	7	0
2016	Runners-up	5	4	0	1	16	2

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• South Africa FA official website