 |
|
June 6, 2026
South Africa has always had a deep love for soccer, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s rise arrived at the perfect time for a new generation of fans. From the 2010 World Cup boom to the spread of global football on TV, Ronaldo became more than a foreign superstar. He became part of the country’s modern soccer story...
It’s hard to find a country where No 7 isn’t beloved, and that includes places that have no direct connection to the Portugal legend. You’d be surprised by how many Ronaldo shirts you can spot while walking the streets of South African cities, and his popularity seems to be only increasing as he nears the end of his career. The simplest explanation for this trend is that Ronaldo’s rise coincided with a spike of interest for international football in South Africa. He was simply the biggest star when the sport exploded, so he remains a symbol that local fans are attached to. Here is how that story went.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Playing in South Africa vs Ivory Coast
Football was always popular in South Africa, but the country was isolated from the rest of the sports world during the apartheid era. The ban on participation in international events prevented South African players from honing their skill against elite competition.
In the 1990s, the nation finally shed its pariah status and returned to the sports scene, with a wave of enthusiasm and some initial triumphs like the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations win, or berths in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. Despite this, the team struggled to gain widespread recognition and remained a second-rate football power even by African standards for a couple more decades.
There was a watershed moment for South African football and it came in 2010, when the country hosted the World Cup. The event of this magnitude put the country into global spotlight, and created perfect conditions to invest into infrastructure needed to support growth of football locally. The biggest stars in the world played in South African stadiums, while fans from everywhere got a chance to see the country.
It was a festival of soccer fandom that finally put the ambitious African nation on the map and gave it a taste of big time action. It’s fair to say that this provided wind in the sails of the already blossoming football culture and made it easier for young players to develop and prosper.
Alas, the excitement didn’t immediately translate into great results on the pitch. To date, South Africa has never advanced past the group stage in a World Cup and failed to even appear at the last two editions. While the team punched the ticket for 2026, those who bet on the World Cup are sceptical about its chances to advance to the knockout stage, let alone reach the final rounds.
That leaves domestic fans yearning for a miracle and eager to support their team throughout their trials and tribulations. Years of hard work will eventually pay off, but at the moment there is still a gap between expectations and results.
In the absence of local heroes, Ronaldo conveniently assumed the role of a football superstar. His extraordinary long career largely coincided with the period when soccer was gaining popularity in South Africa, and a majority of current fans grew up watching his mastery on the field. He was one of the biggest stars of the 2010 tournament, which only added to his stature in the country.
This was also the period when international soccer became widely available on television, and South Africans were quick to use this opportunity to find what they were missing at home. Even if South Africa produces its own stars in the future, Ronaldo’s place in the local fandom will remain secure for a long time.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Portugal is on June 6, against Chile, for an international friendly. You can watch Portugal vs Chile, Brazil vs Egypt, Argentina vs Honduras, England vs New Zealand, Greece vs Italy and USA vs Germany, all matches provided from our streaming live game pages.
Portugal next game:
Portugal vs Chile kick-off time (06-06-2026):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 01:45
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 22:15
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | UTC/GMT+4: 21:45
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+2: 19:45
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+1: 18:45
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 14:45
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 13:45
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 12:45
Sources: ronaldo7.net / theherald.co.za / nytimes.com
