Why Bafana Bafana striker Lyle Foster is perfectly suited to the English Premier League and could be the revelation of the 2025 AFCON finals

Bafana Bafana's star striker Lyle Foster is living proof that things don't happen overnight in the beautiful game of football. Things didn't go according to plan for Foster at Orlando Pirates, so the raw, talented teenager packed his bags for the glitz and glam of Monaco in Ligue 1. After a short stint in France, he bounced around Belgium and Portugal before Burnley thought it a good idea to shell out €11m (R220m) for him in 2023. That was a significant outlay for a side still in England's second tier and a considerable risk, but that fee looks like a bargain in the context of 2025. 

There are several theories as to why.  

Foster and Burnley won promotion to England's promised land in 2023-2024 but went straight back down to the Championship in 2024-2025. Foster started the campaign well with three goals and two assists in his first seven matches, with his only blot being a needless red card against Nottingham Forest for elbowing an opponent. 

He returned after his suspension but was soon removed from the matchday squad as he was suffering from mental health problems. He missed two months of action for club and country but was reintegrated into Vincent Kompany's squad just before Christmas and soon added another goal and an assist to his name.

An injury in early February saw Foster lose momentum again, and by the time he returned to action, it was inevitable that Burnley were going to be relegated.

Still, the optics were good for Foster, who was arguably their best player, with five goals and three assists in 24 top-flight appearances.  

South Africa's most expensive player in history had proved he had what it takes to cut it in the world's most popular and demanding football league.  

The English Championship is a marathon affair. The regular season comprises 46 matches, while sides finishing in the top six can contest as many as 49 if they make the playoff final. Burnley and Foster only needed to contend with 46 regular-season matches in 2024/25, winning automatic promotion back to the Premier League by finishing second. It wasn't a vintage campaign for Foster, who only appeared 28 times, scoring twice and assisting five times, but the lessons he learned about how tough this sport can be were priceless.   

Manager Scott Parker will be under no illusions about the hard work they'll need to invest if they're to survive the 2025/26 Premier League campaign. The Clarets have 10 points after nine matches and sit five clear of the relegation zone, with Lyle Foster's heroics gifting them three precious points with his alarmingly cool finish in the 95th minute on Sunday. It broke Wolves' hearts and sent visiting Burnley fans into delirium at Molineux.  

This was a rollercoaster of an EPL contest, something we're rather accustomed to now. The Clarets led 2-0. Wolves levelled matters through Norway's Jørgen Strand Larsen and Zimbabwe's Marshall Munetsi and came within millimetres of taking an unlikely lead on 64 minutes when Colombia's Jhon Arias clattered the crossbar with a free-kick. Visiting goalkeeper Martin Dubravka also made a stunning save in stoppage time after Foster's dramatic strike, which turned out to be the match-winner. 

What makes Foster perfect for a side like Burnley is his desire to counter-press and defend from the front. They're likely to have less of the ball than the majority of their opponents this season, and Foster relishes that with his selfless interpretation of the striking role.  Although he's the focal point and Burnley's number 9, he's also adept at linking the play as a physically gifted and technically underrated operator. Aerial nod-downs, one-touch give-and-gos, unselfishly running the channels or slotting past advancing 'keepers, you name it, Foster is comfortable doing it all.    

Lyle Foster could hardly have picked a better time to find his scoring boots. Turf Moor will be rocking on Saturday, 1 November for the visit of league leaders Arsenal, a team that has conceded just three times in nine Premier League matches this term. Mikel Arteta's team have scored nine of their 16 goals from set-pieces, a fact which has drawn widespread criticism from armchair pundits. A goal's a goal, though, right?  

Scott Parker leans heavily on the industry, relentless work ethic and directness of Foster and his teammates most days, but those qualities will come into even sharper focus against the Gunners as winter starts to bite down in the UK. For some sobering context, Arsenal haven’t let in more than two goals in a league match since December 2023 against Luton Town. Foster, however, has proved that he isn't afraid to get his hands dirty.   

Hugo Broos' Bafana Bafana have a lot of goodwill in the bank with South African supporters. After reaching the semi-finals of AFCON 2023, they've continued on that trajectory by qualifying for AFCON 2025 and World Cup 2026.  

Foster is Bafana's focal point and first-choice striker, with Orlando Pirates' Evidence Makgopa as a capable understudy, and although the players are physically different, they're noticeably similar in their tactical profiles. 

South Africa kicks off their AFCON campaign against Angola on 22 December. They face Mo Salah's Egypt on 26 December, while Foster will renew acquaintances with Wolves star Marshall Munetsi when Bafana meet Zimbabwe on December 29th. 

Progression into the knockout rounds is a minimum requirement for Bafana and from there, they will fancy their chances of going all the way, especially if Lyle Foster's Premier League form is brought to the tournament.