Bafana can run with the big dogs, says Mphela

BAFANA Bafana’s 2010 Fifa World Cup frontman Katlego "Killer" Mphela is positive about the current team’s chances of reaching the knockout stage of the 2026 edition ahead of the group stage draw on Friday (7pm start) in Washington DC.

- MIHLALI BALEKA.

Bafana are in Pot 3 for the draw, and while much still depends on the draw procedure itself, one thing is certain: Bafana will not be in the same group as any of the eight other African teams that have automatically qualified for the showpiece in North America.

South Africa’s return to the World Cup has restored national pride, especially given that it will have been 16 years since they last played at the event — they were hosts in 2010 — and 24 years since they last qualified automatically.

While the 2002 edition in Japan/ Korea spoke to the country’s strides in international football, the 2010 edition remains relevant and historic. It brought the country and the globe together, football being the conveyor.

As the country prepares to learn the three teams Bafana will battle for a spot in the knockout stage — for the first time in four editions — there’s a growing belief that qualification is more possible than ever, given the current crop of players. Bafana have forged a core group driven by a never-say-die attitude, relentlessness, and camaraderie under coach Hugo Broos.

And that’s not all. Broos has ensured he injects young players into the team — the future — and they have not disappointed.