Former Bafana Bafana midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi has named two players coach Hugo Broos should monitor closely ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Dikgacoi, who is Golden Arrows’ assistant coach, says Chicago Fire FC right winger Puso Dithejane and Siyanda Ndlovu of Abafana Bes’thende have raised their hands to make their mark in the Bafana set-up.
Dithejane, a Kaizer Chiefs product, recently switched to the USA in the Major League Soccer [MLS] after impressing at TS Galaxy. Prior to his exit from Galaxy, the 21-year-old had scored four goals and provided four assists in 12 Betway Premiership matches.
Ndlovu, on the other hand, has been in scintillating form for Manqoba Mngqithi‘s side, so much so that Mamelodi Sundowns have reportedly tabled a massive offer for his services. As it stands, Ndlovu has four goals and five assists in 17 matches for Arrows this season.
WHAT DIKGACOI SAID ABOUT DITHEJANE AND NDLOVU
In an interview with FARPost, Dikgacoi, who featured for Bafana Bafana when South Africa hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, has thrown his weight behind Dithejane and Ndlovu.
Dikgacoi was a key midfielder for Bafana, notably providing the assist for Siphiwe Tshabalala’s famous opening goal against Mexico.
“Puso Dithejane has been doing well. He hasn’t played enough for Bafana. You have Siyanda Ndlovu, who plays with us at Arrows. He’s been doing well, even though he hasn’t, you know, been exposed to international football,” said the former English Premier League star, Dikgacoi.
“I mean, [Relebohile] Mofokeng in that position, that role of the number 10, he’s done exceptionally well also for [Orlando] Pirates. And I think that could be an option just to give us the legs and the speed if it happens that, you know, Themba Zwane is not in the team or Sipho Mbule is not in the team.
“But as I said, I think currently from the crop of players that have been in the Bafana squad, if those players are not available or not ready to play, I think Mofokeng currently is the one who’s been doing well in that number 10 role.
“And he did also mention that he’s enjoying it there. He creates more chances, and he can score goals from that position. And it’s true, he has been doing exceptionally well in that position.
“But there are also players like Dithejane and Ndlovu. If the coach considers them, he might want to introduce them during the upcoming friendlies [against Panama] just to gauge their readiness for the World Cup.”
RELATED STORY: Puso Dithejane snubs Sundowns for Chicago Fire switch