South Africa welcomed Chipolopolo to Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday, November 15, for an international friendly that carried more weight than the scoreboard alone. The clash formed a key part of Bafana Bafana’s build-up, sharpening their readiness and testing combinations ahead of their next challenge in Morocco this December.
The forward has been an integral part of Hugo Broos' setup and is expected to be named in the AFCON squad. He missed the last continental finals because of a mental health issue. As he hopes to be part of the team in Morocco, he has revealed ambitions he hopes to achieve with Bafana, who finished third in the Ivory Coast.
The Inter Miami star provided the assist for the opening goal before scoring the second one late in the second half. This was Messi's first return to Africa in national colours since his appearance at the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa. He was on the continent in 2018 with Barcelona when they came to play Mamelodi Sundowns in a friendly match.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns tactician believes the Bucs star is a type of player that can help the national team. However, he has stated that the Sea Robber must be paired with a specific player in order to make him become even more effective. The number 10 position has been giving Broos some headaches, given that his reliable players for that role have been battling injuries.
The 30-year-old defender has stressed that the team is determined to follow Hugo Broos’ directives to the letter in their upcoming friendly against Zambia. Sibisi emphasised that every player understands the importance of the fixture, despite it being labeled a friendly, and that there is no room for complacency.
The South African senior men’s team is focused on building momentum, sharpening their tactics, and taking decisive steps forward as they prepare for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
Lionel Messi was stunned to find 20,000 fans pack the Elche stands to watch him train with Argentina. It was meant to be a simple training session ahead of the Albiceleste's friendly against Angola, but it turned into a football festival unlike anything the Spanish city had ever seen. The Inter Miami star was also handed a special Elche shirt with his name and number on the back to commemorate the occasion.
The 29-year-old forward has once again been left out of coach Hugo Broos’ final squad for the clash against Zambia on Saturday afternoon at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Despite consistently making his presence felt whenever he dons the Soweto giants’ jersey, the Belgian coach appears reluctant to place his trust in him. The repeated snubs have understandably left the striker frustrated, as he openly expresses the pain of being overlooked.
The Glamour Boys have not enjoyed a good relationship with the national team's technical team, who have overlooked their players in competitive assignments, citing a lack of quality in the Soweto giants squad. However, Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates have been enjoying a lion's share of the playing unit in Hugo Broos' squad.
South Africa has a wealth of talent, with each player boasting their own blend of abilities. Some are fast, or technically gifted, or have a creative vision that can split a defence apart. Others are more athletic and can put in a crunching tackle or two. No matter what their skillsets are, there is one thing they all have in common: the price a football club is willing to pay for their services.
Mshishi has been sidelined due to an injury, causing him to miss several crucial Masandawana matches. While his leadership was certainly missed, the players who stepped in rose to the occasion, leaving the Tembisa-born midfielder pleased with his teammates’ performances. He remains confident that he still has what it takes to mount a strong challenge and reclaim his spot in the starting lineup.
The South African senior men’s national team is set to host Zambia in an international friendly on Saturday afternoon at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. The Belgian manager will be expecting nothing less than a convincing performance from his side, who are brimming with confidence after recently securing qualification for the FIFA World Cup. With the Africa Cup of Nations fast approaching in December, Bafana will be eager to maintain their momentum and correct the mistakes of their previous campaign, where they fell short in the semi-finals after a penalty shootout defeat to Nigeria.
The experienced tactician is expected to leave at the end of the 2026 World Cup finals. Since he took over the national side in 2021, Bafana have been a competitive outfit. However, Broos has faced a lot of criticism, especially for his player selection.
South Africa is entering a Golden Era as they prepare to participate in the 2025 AFCON and 2026 World Cup after a long barren spell of failures and disappointments. With Banyana Banyana and Amajita winning silverware, and Amajimbos showing promise and the PSL title race tightening up, it's easy to get excited about local soccer right now.
The controversy over the midfielder's yellow card saga is more than a passing embarrassment, it exposes a troubling culture of carelessness within the South African football administration. A single moment of negligence nearly derailed Bafana Bafana’s World Cup hopes, and someone must take responsibility.
Mzansi will face tricky fixtures in the group stage, given that perennial winners, Egypt, are among their opponents. However, they head into the continental campaign with their morale boosted after qualifying for the 2026 World Cup finals despite having their points deducted. After failing at the ultimate stage last time, Broos is aiming higher this time around.
The former Bucs star has delivered once more for the North African giants, who are fighting to win the league again after struggling under Rhulani Mokwena last season. However, the heavyweights are facing a challenge this early from FAR Rabat as the season gathers momentum. Although Lorch has been in good form, he has not been appreciated at home, as the national team head coach keeps ignoring him.
The 21-year-old has been struggling for consistency at Orlando Pirates since the start of the season. With South Africa preparing for the biennial continental competition, the 73-year-old former Cameroon tactician has refused to guarantee the versatile attacker a place in his squad with barely a month before he names his final team.
The national team head coach has opened up about the youngster who will not be part of his squad again ahead of the November friendly. The former Cameroon tactician has directed his anger at Campbell's club, which he says promised to give the SA star more playing minutes but has not done so. The situation with the club could cost the forward a chance to feature in the AFCON finals.
The South African stars will contest for the prestigious award against other players from the continent during a gala ceremony that will be conducted by CAF. The continent's football governing body has also set up a dedicated voting hub where fans will cast their votes for their favourite goal. The voting process has already begun and will run until Wednesday, when voting will close.
Bafana are part of the teams that will grace the continental showpiece that will run from December 2025 and end in January 2026. The former Blues forward believes the South Africans are in a good position to mount a successful campaign. Bafana have been unsuccessful in the AFCON campaigns since they lifted the trophy in 1996 on home soil.
The senior men's national team has been on the rise for the past few years as the Belgian tactician continues to tick the right boxes. The 73-year-old has a wide pool of players to make his squad for international competitions, with just a few guaranteed their place ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for December.
In the last couple of years, Mzansi football has been growing to great heights, starting from the Premier Soccer League all the way to the national team for both men and women. The government, through the Ministry of Sports, has awarded the players for what they have achieved in the recent past across all competitions.
Although Bafana saw their points reduced for fielding the Masandawana star, they fought hard in the remaining qualifiers to seal their place in the 2026 finals. The South African Sports Minister has acknowledged there was a blunder but has defended the team manager, saying he has taken responsibility. McKenzie has also revealed the amount of bonuses Bafana players will get for the AFCON and World Cup finals.
The former Sea Robber star linked up with the former Bucs' defender even though he had attracted interest from an ex-Kaizer Chiefs head coach. In his new club, the coach is ready to help him get back to his top-level form after battling injuries for a long period.
The Bafana Bafana legend has been Harambee Stars coach since March 2025 and his biggest task is building a squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals to be co-hosted by three East African countries. This is his first-ever job as a national team coach and he would want to make a huge impact.
Given the profile he has created as a dependable Sea Robber, Relebohile Mofokeng's absence has been conspicuously noted, with some raising questions. He is yet to step on the pitch since he was injured during a Premier Soccer League match against Siwelele FC on October 4.
Angola
