Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has stressed the critical importance of a terrific start to their 2025 AFCON Group B campaign, while also addressing the weight of expectation and the “favourites” label attached to the team heading into the tournament in Morocco.
After claiming bronze at the last edition in Ivory Coast, expectations are high on South Africa to be crowned champions for the first time since 1996. Further heightening hopes on Bafana is that they are one of the African teams that qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Also, since losing on penalties to Nigeria in the semi-finals of the 2023 AFCON, Broos’ side has not tasted defeat on the pitch. Their only loss came from a boardroom decision when FIFA nullified their World Cup qualifier’s win over Lesotho and docked them three points for fielding an ineligible player.
BROOS’ HONEST TAKE ON BAFANA’S FAVOURITES AFCON TAG
“I have already told the players that our status is a little different from the previous AFCON. In the previous AFCON, we were just one of the teams. Maybe today we are one of the teams that can win AFCON,” said Broos. “That means, I’m sure of it, that our opponents will have a different mindset when they play against us than they did two years ago. We have to be prepared for that.
“I’m not nervous because I still believe in what I did in the past years in the team, even when there are some new players, young players with us. But I know what we can do, I know how good we are.
“To see the progression of Bafana in the last two years, then you have in mind the game against Nigeria a few months ago, now we can also play with power, we can also resist power. That means we don’t have to be afraid of AFCON. I also read left and right that some countries are saying that South Africa can win AFCON.
“So maybe we are now one of the favourites, the many favourites because when you see the teams who are now at AFCON, and you compare two years ago, I think this AFCON will be much tougher.”
BROOS SETS AFCON GROUP MANDATE FOR BAFANA
Bafana open their Group B business against Angola on Monday, 22 December, before facing seven-time African champions Egypt four days later on Boxing Day. They will then wrap up their group campaign against COSAFA rivals Zimbabwe on December 29.
“We just have to focus on the next days and certainly try to have a good start. The difference now is that we play the first game against Angola, then we play against the favourites in our group, Egypt,” the 2017 AFCON-winning coach said.
“So, imagine if we don’t win against Angola, then you play with a knife here [on the throat], and we have to avoid that. We have to win that first game.
“We have to be ready from the first minute, and I’m sure that we will…”
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