Hugo Broos, the coach of South Africa, named 17 players from South Africa to his squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will be held in Morocco from December 21.
Most of the 24 candidates will rely primarily on European football players, while Senegal, the defending champions, probably won’t have any from their own league.
The 73-year-old Belgian coach made a list of 28 players for the top African football competition. This list includes two traveling stand-bys, Tylon Smith and Shandre Campbell, and three players who will stay in South Africa.
Smith plays central defense for Queens Park Rangers, a team in the English second tier. Campbell plays winger for Club Brugge, a team in the Belgian top level.
Broos told the public broadcaster SABC, “Neither is likely to play at the tournament, but I want them to experience life as an international football.”
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will only pay for 23 of the 28 players that teams can choose for the biannual event in the north African monarchy.
Broos has put his faith in South African Premiership stars, much like he did for the 2024 Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast, where Bafana Bafana (The Boys) finished third.
He has picked nine players from Orlando Pirates and five from Mamelodi Sundowns, who are currently in first and second position in the national league.
20-year-old center-back Mbekezeli Mbokazi is one of the Pirates. After the AFCON, he is said to be ready to join the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer.
Lyle Foster, a striker for Burnley, is the only player from a team in one of the top five European leagues.
There are ten players left from the 2024 AFCON squad. Ronwen Williams, the captain and goalie, saved four penalty kicks in a quarter-final triumph over Cape Verde.
Broos told the SABC from his home in Belgium that he hopes to “at least reach the semi-finals again.”
In Group B, South Africa will play Angola, Egypt, and Zimbabwe, who have won the tournament seven times. The best four of the six third-placed teams and the winners and runners-up of each section move on to the knockout stage.
Group
Goalkeepers: Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates), Ricardo Goss (Siwelele), and Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns, captain)
Defenders: Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Nkosinathi Sibisi (both Pirates), Aubrey Modiba and Khuliso Mudau (both Sundowns), Samukele Kabini (Molde/NOR), Thabang Matuludi (Polokwane City), Khulumani Ndamane (TS Galaxy), and 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), and Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela/POR)
Forwards: Evidence Makgopa and Tshepang Moremi (both Pirates), Lyle Foster (Burnley/ENG), and Mohau Nkota (Al Ettifaq/KSA)
Tylon Smith (Queens Park Rangers/ENG) and Shandre Campbell (Club Brugge/BEL) are two people who are ready to travel.
Non-traveling stand-bys are Thabo Moloisane (Stellenbosch), Iqraam Rayners (Sundowns), and Mduduzi Shabalala (Kaizer Chiefs).
Hugo Broos is the coach (BEL).
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