Pienaar: I'm Not The Star

South African calls for team effort ahead of Confederations Cup.

Steven Pienaar is aiming for Confederations Cup glory with hosts South Africa.

The Everton midfielder has seen his stock rise steeply in his home country following his appearance in last Saturday's FA Cup final.

But he has denied that he is the star man in the Bafana Bafana side ahead of their opener against Iraq on 14 June.

With South Africa set to take on Poland in a warm up for the tournament on Saturday, Pienaar said it will take a team effort for next year's World Cup hosts to go all the way.

"There is always pressure," said Pienaar, when asked about his increasing popularity. "But I’m not the kingpin in the team.

"Soccer is a team sport and I am only one part of the squad. This is about Bafana doing well for our country, not about Steven Pienaar.

"I am simply a cog in the wheel and determined to play a role, but every single person – even those on the bench – are key parts of the squad and have an important role to play.

"I have been in a lot of Bafana camps over the years and this is the best team spirit I have ever encountered. This is encouraging as a happy team is a winning team and that is what we are aiming for."

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