The legendary South African midfielder has been playing for Masandawana since 2011, delivering consistently across all competitions for both the Premier Soccer League heavyweights and the national team. Despite being 36, 'Mshishi' as he is commonly referred to, remains a vital player not only for Masandawana but for Hugo Broos' men.
Following a disappointing end to the Africa Cup of Nations for the Mzansi side, a flood of opinions, what ifs, and should-haves has dominated discussions, as the football community continues to digest the outcome of the campaign. With emotions still raw, supporters and pundits alike have begun dissecting every decision, selection, and moment that may have altered Bafana’s fate, turning the post-tournament period into a space of reflection, debate, and renewed expectations for what lies ahead.
As many try to wrap their heads around Bafana's elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations, some have pointed out what contributed to the poor show in Morocco. Despite starting the campaign with a win, South Africa's struggles were visible in games against Zimbabwe and Egypt. They were then exposed and beaten by Cameroon, who claimed a vital victory that propelled them to the quarter-finals.
South Africa were booted out of the continental competition at the Round of 16 stage by the Indomitable Lions in Rabat. The exit meant they failed to at least replicate the outing at the previous edition in Ivory Coast. They now head home, hoping their showing in Morocco will not demoralise them ahead of June's 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In an attempt to ensure that South Africa remain in Morocco, the Belgian came up with what looked like a strange matchday plan, and also his team formation was not what he used to deploy. He made four changes to the squad that faced Cameroon and got eliminated. In the end, the strategy failed as Bafana saw their journey come to an end and the Indomitable Lions progressed to the last eight.
South Africa's coach firmly defended his tactical and squad choices by pointing out they had three 'open' chances to score in the first half hour of the Round of 16 clash with the Indomitable Lions but failure to capitalise on those chances meant his side was vulnerable to conceding and losing the match.
The 1996 winners failed to find a way past the five-time champions, the Indomitable Lions, in the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) ongoing in the North African country of Morocco. South Africa were punished for an inconsistent start against a determined opponent who will now be hoping to go all the way.
South Africa deployed a more defensive approach with the hope of winning the midfield battle, but in the end, Hugo Broos' gamble did not pay off, as his players were outfoxed. A journey that started with a controversial off-pitch issue between the coach and Mbekezeli Mbokazi has ended as crestfallen Mzansi head home earlier than in the last edition, where they reached the last four. Ironically, a team that Broos helped lift their last AFCON title has ended his dream of winning his second continental trophy.
This is a massive game for both sides as they hope to get a favourable result that will keep alive their dream of winning the biennial competition going on in the North African nation of Morocco. This will be a massive match for coach Hugo Broos, who helped the Indomitable Lions win the 2017 edition.
The Africa Cup of Nations has reached a critical juncture where there are no second chances. Given that South Africa struggled against 10-man Egypt and were given a run for their money by Zimbabwe, there are suggestions that it is time for Hugo Broos to tweak his lineups. But can the Belgian tactician afford to massively tweak his lineup when South Africa need to win to remain competing in Morocco?
The 73-year-old will be coming up against his former team this weekend in the Last 16 of the biennial competition, hoping to get into the last eight and eventually go all the way to win their second continental crown. The initial one came in 1996 when South Africa were hosts. In 2023, the Belgian led Bafana to a bronze.
The 25-year-old former AmaZulu player has been doing well for South Africa in the biennial competition, having made two direct contributions to the five goals Hugo Broos' men scored in Group B to finish second with six points behind seven-time champions Egypt. The winger is expected to play a crucial role in the knockout phase.
Things have rapidly deteriorated for the 22-year-old who was only in November 2023 crowned African Football League Most Valuable Player and finished as the tournament’s joint top scorer. He was part of Bafana Bafana’s squad at the 2023 AFCON and even started the opening match against Mali, underlining how highly he was rated at the time. However, injury struck, triggering a painful downhill slide that has stalled what once looked like a soaring career.
The 20-year-old made a surprising move to Major League Soccer, where he joined the Chicago Fire, who showed interest after the youngster's consistent displays for the Sea Robbers. There have been contradicting reactions to the youngster's decision to join the latter from the Premier Soccer League; a section has been supporting while others feel otherwise.
South Africa face the Indomitable Lions in a 2025 AFCON Round of 16 match at Al Medina Stadium on Sunday. It is a match both sides know that there is a high possibility the winner will face hosts Morocco in the quarter-finals. Fans have reacted with much interest in this pairing between Hugo Broos' side and the Central Africans.
With the transfer market taking centre stage regarding players’ futures, the midfielder has admitted his interest in returning to the Premier Soccer League. The experienced player is hoping for “an opportunity somewhere else” after South Africa’s campaign in the African Cup of Nations. He also admitted that he would love to play for Amakhosi.
