South Africa are competing in their first women's World Cup and are the lowest-ranked team in the tournament. South Africa face China in their second game of the tournament in Paris on Thursday. It wasn't until after Nelson Mandela's release from prison that a unified national team were formed for the women of South Africa. Living through apartheid in South AfricaNelson Mandela had a huge influence on sport in South Africa after his release in 1990 from prison, where he had served 27 yearsApartheid affected every aspect of life in South Africa from 1948 to the early '90s. 'Nobody gave us a chance'In 2018, South Africa, then ranked 50th in the world, came runners-up in the Africa Women Cup of Nations to 11-time champions Nigeria.

Source: BBC June 12, 2019 10:41 UTC