South Africa are also making their debut at the Women's World Cup, playing in Group B alongside Spain, Germany, and China. Banyana Banyana will look to captain Janine Van Wyk for leadership at the tournament in France, and she talked about her expectations with CGTN's Sias du Plessis.

"Did you think at one point in your career that you would reach this milestone?"

JANINE VAN WYK SOUTH AFRICA CAPTAIN "Never. I actually never thought that I'd reach this milestone, get this far in my career, you know, when you were younger, you just dreamt of playing and representing your country, but for so many, many years, and taking the field so many times, it's an absolute honor and privilege, each and every time I step onto that pitch."

"Obviously World Cup will roll around, there'll be a few extra caps on that CV. How does it feel going to the World Cup? Do you feel like you have the sort of hopes of a nation on your shoulders, in a way, despite it being your first ever World Cup?"

"I've been captain since 2013, so I know what pressure feels like. Captain of the team at the Olympic Games in Rio, so I know what kind of feeling that is, you know where the whole world is watching you. I have a lot of players that have over 100 caps in the squad, and that are leaders themselves, that help me with that role as well on the field, so it's not all on my shoulders."

"Opening game of the World Cup, what's your team talk? What do you say to your team as you're about to take on Spain?"

"Well, I'd say this is the moment we've been working so hard for, so many times that we failed to qualify for a World Cup, and this is it. This is our time. For us, we have nothing to lose, really."

"Well, what do you make of your group, I suppose it's important to get off to a positive start?"

"We have to really make do with what we have in front of us. The Spanish is our first game, and I think that is the crucial one for us. If we can get a good result against them, I think it will boost our confidence going forward in the tournament."

"Beyond football, there's obviously coaching aspirations. Would you like to coach the national team one day? Is that sort of in that trajectory?"

"Yes. That is what I'd like to do. I know the team well, I've been part of the national team for many years, and I know what it takes to be a national player, so as a coach I would love to coach the national team one day, even if I start with the youngsters, because I'm really all for development in our country. I see an enormous amount of talents, you know, in schools and club level in our country, so that is something that I will strive towards after playing football."