A world ranking of 67th is not exactly the kind of credentials pending World Cup hosts should be proud to display — but, at least, the footballers of Bafana Bafana can hold their heads above water when it comes to the ”battle of the sexes”.
South Africa’s female equivalents, Banyana Banyana, are placed 71st in the women’s world rankings that were released on Friday.
A curious anomaly in the world rankings, however, is that African nations have made significantly more progress in the male form of soccer than in the female equivalent.
Bafana, with a world ranking of 67th, are rated an unappealing 16th in Africa, while 71st-ranked Banyana are third on the African continent.
The top African nation in both the male and female categories is Nigeria, but while the men’s team is placed ninth, the women’s team is a modest 25th.
Emphasising the disparity of the sexes even more strikingly is the fact that while Africa has 16 men’s teams among the top 67 nations, the continent’s women lag far behind with only three among the leading 67 nationalities — namely Nigeria, Ghana in 47th position and Morocco at 59th.
But as long as Bafana remain better placed than Banyana in their respective world rankings, male chauvinism remains alive and well here … for the moment, that is. — Sapa