Broos: Bafana ready to prove their AFCON pedigree

BAFANA Bafana will head into the AFCON finals in Morocco next month as one of the favourites - not the whipping boys of the past - and coach Hugo Broos says they are ready to live up to that tag.

- MIHLALI BALEKA.

Bafana arrived at the last continental showpiece, which was held in Ivory Coast, merely regarded as participants. But they rewrote the script as they earned a podium finish - third place - for the first time in more than two decades.

They have since built on that foundation over the past few months. They qualified for the upcoming continental showpiece without a loss, finishing top of their group.

Bafana restored the nation’s pride by qualifying for the 2026 Fifa World Cup after finishing top of their group, shrugging off competition from rivals Nigeria, who could only secure a runners-up finish to qualify for the playoffs.

Having forged camaraderie and a never-say-die ighting spirit, Broos has revealed that he'll keep the bulk of the current squad for the upcoming continental showpiece in Morocco.

That should augur well for the team’s aspirations, as Broos knows that they'll be one of the teams to beat at the event, given their trajectory over the last two years.