Bafana Bafana backed as the only African team that can match PSG star Achraf Hakimi and Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Diaz's Morocco - 'We are the only country in Africa, with 99% of home-brewed players'

Bafana Bafana, under the guidance of Hugo Broos, have reignited national pride by securing third place in the Afcon held in Ivory Coast. Their performance resulted in a rise in the Fifa rankings, moving from 60th to 57th globally and reclaiming a spot in Africa's top 10, displacing DR Congo.

Despite the challenge of having most players based locally compared to Morocco's European-based squad, Doctor Khumalo believes Bafana can compete at the highest level. The 1996 Afcon winner highlighted the team's strength, emphasizing their potential to match Morocco's quality with their home-grown talent.

“So, we understand all those things, but let me give you the tricky part of it. We are being criticised as crying babies because we don’t have 80% of players outside South Africa,” said Khumalo as reported by iDiski Times.

“Most of the African players, think South African players are crying babies. Do you think is that a fair criticism, or what? I don’t think so.

“It’s only if we can clean our house, then the mentality will be ready to go there. But on top of that, with what we have here, we are the only country in Africa, with 99% of home-brewed players, that can give it to those countries with 100% European mentality, we are the only country," he added.

“How many players now in this squad that are playing overseas? It’s 99% home. We are the only country in Africa that can match Morocco with 100% European-based players, Guinea with 70%, all of them."

Bafana Bafana's rise to 57th in the world rankings is a positive step, but their ambition lies in breaking into the top 50. They must maintain their momentum to solidify their position as one of Africa's elite teams.

With Afcon's success serving as a confidence boost, qualifying for the Fifa World Cup remains the next big objective. Building on their home-based talent, they aim to prove themselves on a global stage.

The next international window in March will see Bafana Bafana face Lesotho and Benin in Fifa World Cup qualifiers. These two matches provide a chance to solidify their progress and prepare for the Afcon tournament in Morocco.

With the Afcon opportunity, they can further test themselves against Africa's best. The team will continue to refine their strategies and elevate their performance ahead of these crucial encounters.