Arendse believes Bafana are on the brink of another AFCON win

Following South Africa’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Andre Arendse believes the team is on the brink of greatness.

Bafana’s AFCON focus

Before heading to North America for the global showpiece, Hugo Broos’ men will turn their focus to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) later this year in Morocco.

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Broos’ side have been drawn in a tricky Group B alongside Angola, Egypt and Zimbabwe. Expectations will be high after Bafana claimed bronze at the previous edition of the tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.

Arendse, who was part of the 1996 squad that famously lifted South Africa’s only AFCON title, has boldly claimed that the current generation has what it takes to emulate that success.

“I’ve been watching this national team over the period of the last three years consistently. I’ve looked beyond the talent that we have and the ability of our players,” Arendse told Thabiso Mosia on Radio 2000.

“I have looked at things like team cohesion, discipline and togetherness. As a former player, you can spot that, and those are the ingredients that Hugo Broos and his technical team have been able to ingrain in this team.

“When you combine that with the fact that he hasn’t really tinkered too much with his team selection, except when there are injuries here and there, that breeds success because players start to understand their teammates. They know their strengths and they know what to do around them.

Arendse – ‘They have got that quality’

“The style of play that Hugo Broos has brought in has been really good to watch. There has been a lot of forward movements, interplay and link-up play, and all of those things the team has displayed consistently well.

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“If you have all that about you, you will get the success that they have now and I’m looking at a team that is on the brink of winning another AFCON because they have got that quality about them.”