Former Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brian Baloyi insists Hugo Broos needs players like Sundowns legend for World Cup success

While Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos had made his intentions clear about wanting Mamelodi Sundowns’ Themba Zwane in his squad, the 36-year-old was at the time in a recovery phase following injury. As a result, his readiness for the demanding competition remained uncertain, despite having been included in the preliminary squad.

The influential playmaker ultimately missed out on featuring as South Africa navigated a tough AFCON campaign, a situation that has since fueled debate around leadership, experience, and game management—qualities many believe Zwane could have provided during key moments of the tournament.

In a conversation on SoccerBeat, the director of Stars of Africa Football Academy and former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brian Baloyi echoed similar sentiments regarding the inclusion of “Mshishi,” as he is affectionately known by the fans, reinforcing the belief that his presence could have added invaluable experience and leadership to the national setup.

"The system that we are playing now, you can afford to play it when you have a Zwane, where you have a number 10, but in the absence of such a brilliant player, brilliant mind, then you need two players like 'master chef', instead of having two or three defensive midfielders," Baloyi said on SoccerBeat.

"You know that the players are trying to give you that creativity and the goals you lack, so you need two of those or even three on the pitch. I think that's where we need to fix things, if we are not to take him to the World Cup again.

"I think there's still an opportunity for the coach to relook at his team, and possibly take Themba to the World Cup. If you look at all other nations, we have  42-year-olds playing, you can't tell us Themba is too old," he added.

Meanwhile, Khan explained that, while many believe Sipho Mbule could step into Zwane' shoes, he strongly disagrees, as he believes both players offer different qualities to the national team.

"For me, Sipho is not Zwane; everybody says they have found Zwane's replacement. I don't think so, Zwane is on a different level, and they have different qualities. I don't think Sipho gives us exactly what Zwane did, because remember Zwane was left out of the squad by Broos, and when he was brought in, Broos realised how important Themba was, that was one of the factors that took us to number three in the last Afcon," said Khan.

Despite the dashed hopes of gaining a solid footing on a challenging stage, and with attention now shifting to the anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup, Bafana will need to put the past behind them and work even harder.

Facing tough opponents in upcoming friendlies will be crucial, giving the team ample time to prepare both mentally and physically under Broos, whose tenure as coach will conclude after the World Cup.

For the Masandawana skipper, the mission is clear,  return to the pitch full-time, stay injury-free, and make sure nothing stands in the way of Bafana’s World Cup dreams. Beyond fitness, he must sharpen his match instincts, rebuild confidence, and lead by example both on and off the field. With the right preparation, he could become the heartbeat of a young squad, guiding teammates through high-pressure moments with the calm and experience only a veteran can offer. Back at Chloorkop, he’ll be aiming to rally Sundowns to reclaim their Premier Soccer League crown while pushing the limits in the CAF Champions League, chasing records, and cementing his legacy as one of the club’s greats.