Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos announced his final squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, with some exclusions sparking major talking points.
The former Cameroon tactician picked 25 men from a list of 54 players he had named in his preliminary squad. The selected players are expected to help Bafana reach the AFCON final after South Africa claimed bronze at the last edition of the continental football showpiece.
Arguably, the biggest highlight of Broos’ squad was the exclusion of Mamelodi Sundowns captain Themba Zwane. The 36-year-old midfielder is the national team deputy skipper but has been sacrificed after enduring a year plagued by injuries.
He recently returned from a spell on the sidelines and featured in Masandawana’s CAF Champions League clash with MC Alger last Friday, coming on as a second-half substitute.
Also left out are Iqraam Rayners, Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Mduduzi Shabalala and Stellenbosch defender Thabo Moloisane, who were placed on the standby list. Bradley Cross, Thabiso Monyane and goalkeeper Brandon Petersen join Shabalala as the Kaizer Chiefs players who have failed to make the cut.
The Sundowns duo of Thapelo Morena and Malibongwe Khoza have also been dropped from the initial squad. There was also no space for the Orlando Pirates trio of Kamogelo Sebelebele, Masindi Nemtajela and Patrick Mswanganyi.
Europe-based central defender Ime Okon has also been frozen out. The likes of Thembikosi Lorch and Gift Links were already ruled out by Broos after he did not name them in his provisional list.
For his six assists in 16 games across all competitions, Sekhukhune United midfielder Kelets0 Makgalwa has been overlooked.
BROOS DEFENDS HIS AFCON SQUAD CHOICES
“First of all, the quality is the most important thing. When you make choices, you ask yourself, ‘Is that guy the best guy in that position?” Broos said on SABC Sport.
“The other way you also have to look at it is that, when something is happening, what are the options I have to change? The tactics, you change, maybe the way of playing.
“That is also something I have to look at. In a tournament, there are many things that can happen, like the first game we played two years ago against Mali. We saw in that game that we didn’t have enough power, and we had to play a little bit differently to have good results.
“That’s something I took into mind when I selected these 25 players.”
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