Former Bafana Bafana, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates superstar Jabu Mahlangu believes the player selections at Mamelodi Sundowns are starting to ripple beyond Chloorkop, and into the heart of South Africa’s 2026 World Cup preparations.
With Bafana Bafana building towards a return to the global stage, consistency has become a key theme under Hugo Broos. A settled group, regular game time and trusted combinations have formed the backbone of South Africa’s recent progress.
According to Mahlangu, this foundation is now under threat. Speaking on the Jabu Mahlangu and Diski Shandis Podcast, the outspoken former attacker pointed to Sundowns’ changing squad dynamics under Miguel Cardoso, arguing that several established Bafana players are either no longer regulars or are struggling for consistent minutes.
Mahlangu stressed that his concern is not about dictating team selections, but about the broader impact club-level decisions can have on the national team, especially in a World Cup year.
He also drew comparisons with how elite European clubs manage their squads ahead of major international tournaments. That, according to Mahlangu, was something Sundowns previously balanced well under former coaches, until Cardoso’s charge.
“Bafana Bafana’s core has been affected,” Mahlangu said. “We don’t mean to question who coach Cardoso should select or not. But we can make examples.
JABU MAHLANGU: PITSO, RULANI DID NOT HAVE FOUR, FIVE SOUTH AMERICANS
“I always make this example about FC Barcelona, when they [Spain] were about to play the 2006 World Cup. Sergio Busquets had just been promoted, and Yaya Touré was far better than Busquets. But Pep Guardiola sacrificed Toure, he insisted on playing Busquets, and he made the Spain squad,” Mahlangu explained.
“He eventually became a world-class player. So all these big teams like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, they know that before big tournaments, they prioritise their homegrown talent. They do that in Europe.
“In Germany, Bayern always have a core group that plays for Germany. It is exactly what Hugo Broos had at Bafana Bafana before Miguel Cardoso. Because he [Cardoso] is a foreign coach, he does not care. Sundowns’ Bafana players don’t make his squad anymore, and the ones that still play, they don’t get consistent gametime.
“Sundowns are forced to play the South American players that they buy for figures of R50 million, I don’t know for sure, but those are the prices we read about. You won’t buy somebody in Colombia for that amount of money and not play them.
“But coaches such as Rulani [Mokwena] and Pitso [Mosimane], they got the balance right, they prioritised South African players. Yes, they had that special player from outside, but not four or five of them.
“Secondly, I don’t think senior Sundowns coaches care about the club’s development of players. It’s not my opinion; it is written. When you play in the DDC [DStv Diski Challenge] team, they promote you to the first team, play you once, and we never see you again; they loan you…
“But if you look at Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, they have kids they promoted and are now playing in the first team for many years, but it does not happen at Sundowns. Personally, I feel sorry for Sundowns youngsters,” Mahlangu concluded.
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