Bafana Bafana Head Coach Hugo Broos has revealed that the core of his squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco is largely settled, stating that the team is “75 to 80 percent complete” in his mind.
The Belgian tactician made these remarks ahead of their final friendly fixture—a critical preparatory step before the continental showpiece.
Zambia Friendly: The Final Audition
Broos announced his 23-man squad this past Thursday, scheduled to face Zambia in an international friendly at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 15 November. This fixture serves as the last chance for the coaching staff to evaluate prospective players.
- Known Core: Broos indicated that the majority of the squad comprises players who were mainstays during the recent World Cup qualifying campaign.
- New Faces: The coach is using the Zambia friendly to assess fresh talent. The current selection includes new additions such as Orlando Pirates’ Masindi Nemtajela and Sekhukhune United’s Keletso Makgalwa, who was a nominee for the 2024/25 PSL Footballer of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season awards.
- Evaluation Time: Broos emphasized that this friendly is his “last game that we can give chances to some new players,” allowing him to evaluate their mentality and potential suitability for the national team’s future.
Tough Decisions Remain
While the majority of the team is decided, Broos admitted he still faces difficult selections for the remaining spots, highlighting that competition remains fierce among established and rising stars.
“There are, for me, some decisions to make. Because when you see the squad today and you see who is not there, [Relebohile] Mofokeng is not there and [Siyabonga] Ngezana is not there and a few others are not there. So I have to make choices,” Broos stated.
The coach confirmed that his final 23-man AFCON list is expected to be announced in early December (around the first of the month), marking the end of the selection process.
South Africa will be aiming to build on their strong showing in the previous tournament, where they secured a third-place finish at the 2023 AFCON
