An AmaZulu FC midfielder is seeking his way back to Bafana Bafana, having been overlooked by head coach Hugo Broos for some time now.
The recent success of the South African National Team has ignited a strong ambition among many players, who are now eagerly looking for the opportunity to represent their nation on the international stage.
Bafana Bafana returned with a third-place bronze medal from AFCON in Ivory Coast in 2024 and have already secured qualification for the next edition, scheduled for Morocco later this year.
Their strong form continues as they are currently considered favourites in their group to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the USA.
With major international and continental tournaments coming, AmaZulu midfielder Ethan Brooks has expressed his desire to make a return to the Bafana squad.
The 23-year-old was a familiar face in coach Hugo Broos’s team throughout 2021 and into 2022, particularly during the early stages of the Belgian tactician’s team-building phase.
His international career for Bafana began on 10 June 2021, when he debuted in a 3-2 friendly win against Uganda. Since then, Brooks has accumulated 11 caps for the national team.
ETHAN BROOKS AIMING FOR RETURN TO BAFANA BAFANA
“Yeah, it’s one of my goals to get back to the national team, work hard to get into the team,” said Brooks.
“Obviously, it won’t be easy, but I’d say it’s one of my objectives to get back into the team.”
Brooks feels he had a good season, yet he admits to not playing as much as he’d hoped. Despite this, he still managed 24 appearances across all competitions, contributing one goal and one assist.
“I think I started the season well, but obviously I haven’t been playing regularly, but whenever I was given an opportunity, I did well,” he continued.
Meanwhile, Brooks shared his happiness regarding the contract extension of the club’s head coach, Arthur Zwane. He noted that the coach has confidence in him.
“I’m happy [about Arthur Zwane’s extended stay], I’m excited also going into a new season with him. Obviously, we’ve had a chat one-on-one. So, yeah, I’m excited for next season.”
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