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SA fans love Booth

AFP, Johannesburg
One player more than any other will stand out when South Africa take to the Ellis Park pitch to face Brazil in Thursday's Confederations Cup semi-final, namely Matthew Booth.
Shaven-headed Booth cuts a distinctive figure as he is the only white member on Joel Santana's team, he is also at 1.98m the tallest player in the entire competition.
The skyscraperesque 32-year-old is adored by the home fans.
Every time this towering defender goes in for a tackle supporters stop blowing their vuvuzelas and shout 'Boooooooth. Booooooth'.
This can take the uninitiated unawares for on first hearing it sounds like the crowd are literally booing one of their own.
A Spanish newspaper actually wrote a story on what a curious phenomenon this was and Santana too was caught out when he succeeded Carlos Alberto Parreira.
"The first time I heard the shouts in the stadium I just couldn't understand what was going on. I was under the impression that the fans loved Matthew but there they were seemingly booing him for no apparent reason," said the Bafana Bafana coach.
The man himself told fifa.com: "I've lost count of the number of times I've had to explain to foreigners that there's nothing wrong, that people love me really.
"When Mark Fish played for Bafana Bafana it was the same. The fans shouted 'Fiiish, Fiiish' at him and it sounded like they were having a go.
"I think it's got something to do with my commitment.
"The fans can see that I take games seriously. Or maybe it's just because 1 look like a nice guy to them."
After a spell in the international wilderness Booth, who is married to what one local journalist described as a "drop dead gorgeous" South African model, has muscled his way into the national reckoning at a crucial time.
He may not be the quickest thing on two feet but Booth's height and strength and defensive nous have played their part in South Africa's advance to the last four and against set-piece specialists Brazil he is going to be one of the host's key players.
Booth has just returned from seven seasons on Russian soil first with FK Rostov and then Krylya Sovetov Samara, but is now back home playing for Mamelodi Sundowns.
And he's relishing his time in the international spotlight.
Booth has his heart set on making it into Santana's squad for the 2010 World Cup, all the more so as he was robbed of a chance to compete at the 2002 edition in Japan and South Korea when he suffered a knee injury in the run up to the first game.
"It came at the worst possible time," he recalled.
"That's why I want to try and convince Joel Santana with my performances at the Confederations Cup and make sure of a place for 2010. It would mean so much to me."
He has his opportunity at Ellis Park to enhance his prospects of putting on the national colours again in 12 months time when the big one comes to town