Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana will return to major tournaments this year — the Fifa World Cup and WAFCON — in North America and Morocco respectively.
Bafana will be back at the global showpiece in June for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010. They need to ensure that their return is worthwhile by competing well in Mexico in June. It is imperative for them to show up at the World Cup due to the fact that they had a very disappointing outing at AFCON, exiting in the last 16 when they were expected to surpass their third-place finish in the previous edition and emulate the class of ’96 by going all the way.
Given those shortcomings, the team must improve on the biggest football stage as they will be returning to the event for the first time in more than two decades, and coach Hugo Broos will be making his first appearance at the global showpiece as a coach, having previously reached the finals as a player in 1986 with Belgium.
Granted, Broos knows he has already done enough to guide Bafana back to the World Cup after a lengthy drought. However, given the growing expectations among the fans, many want the team to push for a last-16 berth for the first time in four qualifications.
@the.clutch_za Bafana Bafana Coach Hugo Broos was having none of it at the team’s arrival back in South Africa. Broos said he didn’t care about the negative comments made about his tactics at AFCON and needed a week to let things calm down before assessing their exit. Video by Mihlali Baleka.
♬ original sound – The Clutch_ZA
Bafana’s search for redemption comes on the back of Banyana’s strides. The Desiree Ellis-coached team achieved the improbable at the last global showpiece, reaching the last 16 for the first time after qualifying for their maiden event in 2019.
Before that, Ellis and her team ensured an upward trajectory, winning the team’s maiden continental crown in 2022 after lengthy spells of near misses. That achievement wrote Banyana into the history books, but they have since shown signs of decline.
Banyana were poor in the last edition of WAFCON — also held in Morocco — finishing fourth. Their rhythm was further disrupted by apparent divisions within the camp, stemming from bonus disputes with Safa and allegations that Ellis did not back her players when it mattered most.
With Ellis having been granted a renewed term, it will be crucial for her to support her team through thick and thin. After all, it is the collective contribution of the team that makes everyone shine.
Be that as it may, responsibility does not stop there. Safa must do their job and ensure that both Bafana and Banyana are well prepared for their tournaments and appropriately rewarded for their exploits.
During the ongoing AFCON, rumours emerged that Bafana had a bonus dispute with Safa — an issue that may have contributed to their below-par performance. That was not an isolated case, as Banyana have long been at loggerheads with the association over financial issues, especially ahead of major tournaments.
Safa needs to understand that the only way the teams will improve is by competing against the best on both the continental and global stages — those stages are precisely the continental and global showpieces.
