South Africa Coach Broos Picks 17 Local Stars For AFCON

South Africa coach Hugo Broos on Monday included 17 local-based players in his squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) from December 21 in Morocco.

Most of the 24 contenders will rely heavily on footballers based in Europe, with former champions Senegal unlikely to include any from their domestic league.

The 73-year-old Belgian tactician released a 28-man list for the premier African football tournament, including two travelling stand-bys, Tylon Smith and Shandre Campbell, and three who will remain in South Africa.

Central defender Smith is with English second-tier club Queens Park Rangers and winger Campbell plays for Belgian top-flight outfit Club Brugge.

“Neither is likely to play at the tournament, but I want them to experience life as an international football,” Broos said during an interview with public broadcaster SABC.

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Teams can choose up to 28 players for the biennial event, but only 23 will be funded by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) while in the north African kingdom.

As he did for the 2024 Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast, where Bafana Bafana (The Boys) finished third behind, Broos has put his faith in South African Premiership stars.

He has included nine from Orlando Pirates and five from Mamelodi Sundowns, who occupy the top two places as the national league approaches the halfway mark.

Among the Pirates is 20-year-old centre-back Mbekezeli Mbokazi, who is reportedly poised to join Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire after the AFCON.

Burnley striker Lyle Foster is the only inclusion from a club among the top five European leagues.

There are 10 survivors from the 2024 AFCON squad, including captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, who saved four penalty shootout kicks in a quarter-final win over Cape Verde.

Speaking to the SABC from his Belgian home, Broos said he hopes to “at least reach the semi-finals again”.

South Africa face Angola, record seven-time champions Egypt and Zimbabwe in Group B. Section winners and runners-up qualify for the knockout phase along with the best four of the six third-placed sides.

Goalkeepers: Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates), Ricardo Goss (Siwelele), Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns, capt)

Defenders: Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Nkosinathi Sibisi (both Pirates), Aubrey Modiba, Khuliso Mudau (both Sundowns), Samukele Kabini (Molde/NOR), Thabang Matuludi (Polokwane City), Khulumani Ndamane (TS Galaxy), Siyabonga Ngezana (FCSB/ROM)

Midfielders: Oswin Appollis, Thalenthe Mbatha, Sipho Mbule, Relebohile Mofokeng (all Pirates), Bathusi Aubaas, Teboho Mokoena (both Sundowns), Elias Mokwana (Al Hazem/KSA), Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela/POR)

Forwards: Evidence Makgopa, Tshepang Moremi (both Pirates), Lyle Foster (Burnley/ENG), Mohau Nkota (Al Ettifaq/KSA)

Travelling stand-bys: Tylon Smith (Queens Park Rangers/ENG), Shandre Campbell (Club Brugge/BEL)

Non-travelling stand-bys: Thabo Moloisane (Stellenbosch), Iqraam Rayners (Sundowns), Mduduzi Shabalala (Kaizer Chiefs)

Coach: Hugo Broos (BEL)

AFP