South Africa's head coach, Hugo Broos, has made history by being the first coach to announce the final squad for the 2025 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. Broos, who guided the team to a third-place finish in the 2023 edition held in Ivory Coast, has retained ten players from that squad for the upcoming tournament.
The Bafana Bafana will compete in Group B alongside Egypt, Angola, and Zambia. The 25-man squad features goalkeepers Ronwen Williams and Ricardo Gross, who are joined by Sipho Chaine. Notable inclusions from the previous edition are the Mamelodi Sundowns trio of Teboho Mokoena, Aubrey Modiba, and Khuliso Mudau, who had impressive performances in Ivory Coast.
Other players who have been selected include Oswin Apollis, Evidence Makgopa, Siphephelo Sithole, Nkosinathi Sibisi, and Elias Mokwana. The squad also includes several foreign-based players such as Tylon Smith (QPR, England), Lyle Foster (Burnley, England), Siyabonga Ngezana (FSCB, Romania), Samukele Kabini (Molde FK, Norway), Siphephelo Sithole (CD Tondela, Portugal), Elias Mokwana (Al Hazem, Saudi Arabia), Mohau Nkota (Al Ettifaq, Saudi Arabia), and Shandre Campbell (Club Brugge, Belgium).
Notable absences from the squad include veterans Themba Zwane, Percy Tau, and Thembikosi Lorch. Iqraam Rayners, along with Mduduzi Shabalala and Thabo Moloisane, are on standby. The team is set to convene in the coming days ahead of the tournament.
Broos' selections aim to blend experience with youthful talent, hoping to replicate or even surpass the team's performance from the previous edition. The Bafana Bafana will be looking to make a significant impact in Morocco, building on their 1996 championship win.
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