Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has discussed Thapelo Maseko’s future prospects with the national team following his exclusion from the Mamelodi Sundowns squad that travelled to the United States for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
The tournament will kick off on Saturday, 14 June, and come to an end on Sunday, 13 July 2025. Bafana Ba Style are pitted in Group F alongside Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense FC, and Ulsan Hyundai FC.
Maseko signed for Masandawana in July 2023 from SuperSport United. In the just-ended 2024/25 season, he struggled for game time as he managed to play in 14 matches in all competitions.
The 21-year-old was part of the Bafana squad that won a bronze medal at the 2023 AFCON tournament held in Ivory Coast last year.
Maseko’s exclusion from the Brazilians’ 26-man squad for the FIFA Club World Cup has raised eyebrows amid his exit rumours from the club.
The former Matsatsantsa star is not the only player who has been left out of Sundowns’ FIFA Club World Cup squad. The likes of Jody February, Matías Esquivel, Zuko Mdunyelwa, and Kegan Johannes also did not travel with the team.
WHAT HUGO BROOS SAID ABOUT THAPELO MASEKO AFTER MAMELODI SUNDOWNS’ FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP SQUAD OMISSION
When Broos was asked whether Maseko’s exclusion from Sundowns’ FIFA Club World Cup squad would affect his chances of being selected for Bafana in the future, the Belgian mentor replied that every player has an opportunity to represent the national team, provided they perform well at their club and possess the necessary qualities for a call-up.
“You know, every player has a chance to play for Bafana Bafana, depending on whether they are playing and have the qualities for it. So, what happens now at Sundowns is that when you have 35 players, you have to leave some behind. You can’t go to the USA with all 35 players,” said Broos.
“I think there are about 26 players who have travelled with the team. That is still a bunch of players because you have to work with 26 players every day, and it’s not so easy.
“They have made their choices, and you know when you have to make choices, there will always be players you will have to drop, and that happened with Maseko. That’s the choice of the coach.
“Sometimes, tactically, you cannot take three players of the same style for the same position. So, it may be difficult for you to understand why we drop some players, but it has to do with tactics and balancing the team, and so forth.”
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