South African football legend Teko Modise has sent a message to the national team, challenging the current crop of players to step up to the pressure and expectations ahead of the 2025 AFCON.
Modise was speaking before Bafana Bafana’s Group B AFCON 2025 opener against Angola at the Grand Stade de Marrakech. Kick-off will be on Monday night at 19:00.
Following Bafana’s third-place finish in the previous edition, Modise weighed in on the intense pressure now resting on the shoulders of Hugo Broos’ emerging young stars.
The Soweto-born legend is no stranger to AFCON. He showcased his talent in the 2008 tournament against the very same Angola in the group stage. The result was a 1-1 draw thanks to Elrio van Heerden’s late equaliser.
According to Modise, there’s new excitement and pressure ahead of Monday’s showdown. He emphasised that handling the high stakes is a key part of a professional footballer’s journey, especially for the current youthful Bafana Bafana team.
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Much attention will be on Oswin Appollis [24], Relebohile Mofokeng [21] and Mbekezeli Mbokazi [20]. There’s a weight on their young shoulders to live up to the high expectations placed on them. The Orlando Pirates trio have been in the spotlight due to club performances, transfer speculation, and national team breakthroughs.
“Right now we are all excited, the pressure is on,” Modise said on the Carwash Podcast. “What type of footballer are you, if you don’t want to put yourself in these types of situations?
“You have trained so hard… You started football at a very young age to be on these big stages. I think this is the biggest stage. There are a lot of young players in the Bafana Bafana team.
“I am just looking forward to what they can conjure this time around. Now that everyone knows them, everybody knows Bafana as one of the best teams, now can you be able to sustain that type of pressure and expectations? We are looking forward to seeing man,” Modise concluded
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