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Bafana Bafana players sing the national anthem before a match.
Despite the fact that Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos finds himself in hot water, former captain Shaun Bartlett believes the national team has the ability to improve on the third place achieved at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Ivory Coast.
Bartlett was a special guest at Bafana’s official send-off at the FNB Stadium in Soweto earlier on Thursday.
They depart for this year’s AFCON tournament in Morocco in a few days’ time and Bartlett says Broos, who is in trouble for misogynistic comments made at media briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday, is responsible for the team’s success in the last two years.
“I think they have learned a lot at the particular tournament and over the last two years they have grown as a team as well. I think Hugo Broos and the squad have done tremendously well, the results speak for themselves and there’s a lot of cohesion as well and combinations in the squad and I like the team that is going to the AFCON this time around and we just need to apply ourselves, listen to the coach’s instructions.”
Bafana Bafana training at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria as we build up to the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco later this month.#BafanaPride@10bet_ZA @CastleLagerSA @SABC_Sport pic.twitter.com/4uOPkLi1Vo
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) December 9, 2025
VIDEO | Bafana Bafana Coach Hugo Broos has complained about how FIFA treats AFCON:
In exactly a week’s time the team will head off to Morocco to begin their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign. Bafana last lifted the continental trophy nearly 30 years ago on home soil and won the bronze medal at the previous AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast last year.
That result, coupled with having secured their spot for next year’s FIFA World Cup in the Americas, have boosted the team’s confidence.
And assistant coach, Helman Mkhalele, says the expectations are high.
“ I would say the mood is high in the camp because everyone knows what is expected, we are no longer the underdogs, we were expected to come home earlier with what we have showcased over the years. Up to now that has elevated our status of which we know that it is not going to be easy, it’s going be very difficult, so our players are mentally and physically ready, so in short, the mood is high in camp.”
