Ime Okon is aiming for a fresh start with Bafana Bafana after overcoming a previous setback. The Hannover 96 defender made his debut for the national team in June 2025 when he featured in the COSAFA squad.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos last week explained that they had โfollowed Ime for a long timeโ, but an injury prevented him from attending a previous camp. The Johannesburg-born defender is part of the Belgian coachโs squad preparing to face the Panama national football team in a two-legged international friendly.
Bafana welcome the Central Americans to Durban on 27 March and Cape Town on 31 March as part of preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 22-year-old centre-back, who plays for Hannover 96, sees the call-up as a chance to impress and secure a place in the trip to Mexico in June.
โIโm very excited to be here and be amongst the guys,โ Okon told journalists on Monday. โI had some problems before, but now Iโm just happy to be back and looking forward to the training sessions and the next few games.โ
Okon explained that the news of his inclusion came while he was in training, making the moment even more special.
โI got the call while I was training, and I was excited because I knew I had to come this time, no matter what.โ
The defender believes his recall is the result of persistence and belief. โIโve been working hard because this is where Iโve always wanted to be. I believe everything falls into place when you keep working hardโฆ,โ he said.
IME OKON TALKS GROWTH IN GERMANY
Despite earning the call-up, the Randburg FC product insists his mindset remains unchanged.
โNothing has really changed. The goals are still the same. I have personal ambitions, and this is one of them. Iโm just going to keep pushing and working hard to achieve everything Iโve set out to.โ
Capped five times so far, he also attributed his ongoing development to the demanding nature of German football.
โBundesliga 2 is very aggressive and quick. I had to adapt fast, and I think thatโs helped me improve a lot.โ
He has featured 21 times in all competitions for his club, weighing in with two goals. Okon added that he has โgained a lot of confidenceโ overseas.
The former SuperSport United defender also shared optimism about the current crop of defenders in the national team, suggesting that the future looks bright. Broos is confident that the second tier in Germany is quite a high level and will help the young defender develop further.
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