Spanish coach José Riveiro believes South African footballers can hold their own on the world stage.

However, the current situation paints a different picture.

South Africa only has one player in the English Premier League (EPL), Lyle Foster, and in fact, they have just made a return to the top flight.

On the other hand, SA has no players in the other top European leagues, such as Germany’s Bundesliga, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, and French Ligue 1.

Despite this, Riveiro is adamant that this could change, especially if local footballers do not only focus on technical skills but the emphasis is put on the tactical side, especially in their developmental age.

“Absolutely, yes! It’s something that I said many, many times, and I’m still thinking the same after three years there (in South Africa). I was really, really surprised since we started from my first training with Orlando Pirates,” reflects Riveiro, who’s now in charge of Egyptian side Al Ahly.

“I quickly realized the level of the players, the individual level of the players. Technically, it’s true that there are some other things that could be better and more related, maybe, to taking the players to the first team and what they are experiencing in the period where they are in the formation from 12 to 16/17 years old. You can also have the players understand the game much more,” he said.

“I was just saying that maybe the main difference, if I compare it with all the experiences in Europe in my time that I was in Celta Vigo. For example, it’s probably the tactical level of the players in the earlier stages that is different [Europe being better in this aspect].

“But in terms of talent, it is, like I said, something to be proud of [for South Africa], because the type of players that South Africa is producing right now is a difficult type of player, a different type of ‘animal,’ you know. It’s difficult to find in Europe.

“For example, where the players in (Europe) are more like pretty much the same, all of them… pretty much the same level. I think South African players have something different in the way they understand the game, and when you find cases like Rele [Mofokeng], for example, he’s an extremely smart boy… it’s not only the way he executes, it’s (also) the way his brain is working,” Riveiro continues.

“It helps a lot to boost the process, but he’s one out of a thousand, I guess. With all the players when they come to the first team, it takes a little bit of time, you know. The talent is there, but they have to do another adaptation that maybe in the future will be done a little bit early, I hope.”