Bafana ready for AFCON, Broos to reveal final roster

BAFANA Bafana coach Hugo Broos is set to make an important squad announcement on Monday at noon when he names the final squad for the upcoming AFCON in Morocco next month.

- MIHLALI BALEKA

Bafana have been on an upward trajectory over the last two years. They have qualified for back-to-back AFCON campaigns and secured automatic qualification for the World Cup in North America next year.

The South Africans had a memorable return to AFCON in the last edition, earning a podium finish - their first since 2000.

That milestone, along with qualifying for next year’s World Cup, has made Bafana one of the dark horses heading to Morocco.

Broos is excited by the prospect. He argues that this will be the best way to gauge their World Cup readiness and showcase the growth the team has made in the last few months.

But the hard work won't start there. It will begin with the silver-haired Belgian putting his head on the block and selecting players he trusts - and not those he merely thinks might deliver — to make the country proud. Of the 54 players in his provisional squad, most are the core individuals who have played a central role in helping the team turn things around. That is why Broos has already highlighted that 80% of those players will board the flight to Morocco.