Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has praised the Premier Soccer League’s commitment to nurturing young players.
Broos made the comments on Thursday while announcing his squad for the final two 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan.
Since the beginning of the 2024-2025 AFCON campaign, South Africa’s top coaches, including those at major clubs like Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Kaizer Chiefs, have placed faith in their younger players.
This trust has led to standout performances from rising stars who have taken their chances well. Kaizer Chiefs manager Nasreddine Nabi, for instance, has relied on talents like Mduduzi Shabalala (20), Samkelo Zwane (22), and 18-year-old Mfundo Vilakazi, who have each shown immense promise.
Orlando Pirates’ head coach, Jose Riveiro, has also seen dividends from his decision to play youngsters like Mohau Nkota (19) and Relebohile Mofokeng (20), while Sundowns’ Manqoba Mngqithi has fielded teenagers Malibongwe Khoza (20), Asekho Tiwani (19), and Siyabonga Mabena (17). Kutlwano Lethlaku (17) even scored a brace for Sundowns in their recent 2-0 victory over Polokwane City.
Broos noted how different things were when he took over Bafana in 2021, observing a lack of young players in PSL line-ups. “If you see how many young players are playing now in the PSL, that’s a big difference compared to when I came,” he remarked.
“You didn’t find players aged 20, 21, or 22 back then. Now you find them everywhere, even at big clubs.”
Broos’s squad for the qualifiers includes promising names like Mofokeng, Dortley, and Oswin Appollis (23) from Polokwane City.
The matches are critical; Bafana, with eight points from four games, needs three more to qualify. Victory over Uganda in Kampala on 15 November would secure back-to-back AFCON appearances, while a loss or draw there would mean a must-win game against South Sudan in Cape Town on 19 November.
South Sudan have lost all their previous qualifiers, while Uganda, who lead the group with ten points, will qualify with a draw against Bafana.
Broos remains optimistic about the future of South African football, believing the continued focus on youth by PSL clubs will pay off for Bafana in the years to come.