Bankers and wildcards: The overseas-based Bafana Bafana players who must be under consideration for the 2025 AFCON and the 2026 World Cup

Timing is a massive thing in football, and Mohau Nkota struck while the iron was hot. 

Emerging at Orlando Pirates in parallel to Relebohile Mofokeng couldn't have been easy, but Nkota did it with aplomb and in his own style. He's already proved his mettle on the continental stage, and now he's producing the goods in the glamorous Saudi Pro League with Al-Ettifaq.

The 21-year-old has two goals and two assists from eight league matches this term and seems to be enjoying rubbing shoulders with the likes of Gini Wijnaldum and Moussa Dembele. 

Despite Broos' saying, "You know I don’t like it when younger players go to such teams" after his move to Saudi Arabia, the coach has picked and played the winger in the last four crucial World Cup qualifiers that saw Bafana clinch qualification. 

We could see Nkota and a hopefully rejuvenated Relebohile Mofokeng in the same starting XI for Bafana, and that's a daunting prospect for their opponents.

With UEFA Champions League experience under his belt, Ngezana should be a shoo-in for upcoming Bafana squads. Things have happened quickly for the physically gifted 28-year-old since his move from Kaizer Chiefs to Romanian giants FCSB in 2023. 

He might have to muscle his way past a clutch of Orlando Pirates players to start games for South Africa, but we know he's got the strength and determination to do so. 

He showed in his only two outings for Bafana this year, the 2-0 away win over Benin in March and the 1-1 home draw with Nigeria in September, that if called upon, he can and will deliver.

Competition for places at the back could turn out to be Broos' most important asset in big tournaments, and the FCSB centre back will be involved. 

Not only is Foster South Africa's most valuable footballing export, but he also seems to be one of their most reliable and tactically adaptable operators. He'll undoubtedly lead the line for South Africa at the 2025 AFCON showpiece, fitness permitting, and that's a good thing for Broos and Bafana. 

The 25-year-old former Pirates striker is known for his selfless playing style and effective combination play, which gets the best out of his teammates. 

He could do better with upping his scoring rate at the national team level, with eight goals and only one assist in 19 caps being a modest return for an English Premier League striker.

Norwegian giants Molde rely heavily on the attack-minded 21-year-old left-back. 

Sundowns man Aubrey Modiba is Hugo Broos' preferred option on that side of defence, but he has been in the matchday squad for Bafana's last four qualifiers, playing 90 minutes against Nigeria. 

With Fawaaz Basadien seemingly out of favour, Kabini is an important rotation option for the left-back role.

Although central midfield is one of South Africa's most stacked and settled departments, 26-year-old Sphephelo 'Yaya' Sithole could still prove to be a valuable squad member. 

He was a regular starter for Broos until he sustained a career-threatening injury when he broke his tibia and fibula during an AFCON qualifier against South Sudan.

After a year of recovery, he is getting sustained minutes at his club and is back to full fitness.

His experience abroad, coupled with his natural defensive instincts, and his return to full form and fitness, should ensure he is guaranteed a spot in the squad going to the 2025 AFCON. 

Most controversially, there's the case of Gift Links. Maybe disregarded by the majority of local fans, the 27-year-old winger is one of the first names on the Aarhus team sheet in Denmark and is highly regarded by their supporters. He's got two goals and three assists in 15 Danish Superliga outings this season.

Capable of also slotting in as a wing-back, his tactical versatility could be a massive plus. On the other side of that coin, it might work against him with Broos set on using a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Links has been in the international wilderness since September 2021 and might need to do something spectacular to change the manager's mind. 

The 25-year-old doesn't get called up by Bafana enough, considering how consistently he's been producing the goods for Minnesota United in the United States MLS since the start of 2022. 

His last outing for Bafana was a World Cup qualifier defeat to Rwanda in November 2023. 

He's been getting on with business Stateside, racking up over 150 appearances for Minnesota, predominantly as a winger, but he can also play through the middle. The 25-year-old would be an interesting option. 

Cassius Mailula is a strange case. After exploding onto the local scene with Sundowns in 2022, he landed an exciting move to MLS side Toronto FC, where he made a massive and instant impact, only to fade away in the second half of his debut season in the USA. 

A temporary move to Wydad AC in Morocco followed, and now he's on loan with Belgian second-tier side Kortrijk. 

The talent is certainly there, but perhaps there are question marks over his application; but if the diminutive forward can settle down somewhere, he can offer serious value in front of goal. 

Based in the USA, 21-year-old central defender Olwethu Makhanya is a key operator for the Philadelphia Union. However, given Bafana's riches in that department, his chances of a call-up are slim. The same can be said for Ime Okon, a supremely talented defender now with German second-tier side Hannover 96. Like Makhanya, Okon is also 21, and his time will come.

One of the next big things in South African football, dazzling winger Shandre Campbell turned heads in his debut Premier Soccer League campaign in 2024-2025, earning an eye-catching move to Belgian giants Brugge. Still only 20, it'll be intriguing to see what the future holds for him. It seems to be a matter of time before he's making a big impact for the national side.

Still operating on the flanks for the Cypriot side, Aris Limassol, 29-year-old Mihlali Mayambela is a veteran of club football in Sweden and Portugal and has experienced Europa League action with his current side, where he dons the number 10 jersey. The streets will also never forget his brother, the outrageously gifted left-footer Mark, who did his thing and won a bunch of trophies for Pirates in their double-treble era.

Now with English Championship outfit Portsmouth, classy midfield schemer Luke Le Roux is a vastly experienced operator but is still only 25. He perfected his trade over five years in Sweden and the Netherlands, and has been on the fringes of things for Bafana until now. He was on the bench for the 1-1 draw with Nigeria in World Cup qualifying in September, but hasn't been picked since.