AFCON 2025: It will be tougher - South Africa coach plays down Bafana Bafana chances

AFCON 2025: It will be tougher - South Africa coach plays down Bafana Bafana chances

Hassan Abdulsalam 09:54 - 22.12.2025

South Africa coach Hugo Broos has dismissed talk of AFCON 2025 favoritism.

Despite a remarkable 20-match unbeaten streak in competitive fixtures and a third-place finish at the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has firmly rejected suggestions that Bafana Bafana should be considered among the favorites for the 2025 tournament.

Bafana Bafana: Hugo Broos Confirms Major Change Ahead of AFCON
Bafana Bafana: Hugo Broos Confirms Major Change Ahead of AFCON

South Africa begins their Group B campaign against Angola in Marrakech on Monday, carrying confidence built on consistency and resilience.

Their last defeat in open play came against Mali in the opening match of the 2023 AFCON in the Ivory Coast.

What Broos said

Broos insists that labeling his side as title contenders would be premature.

He said, “It’s always very dangerous to put yourself as a favourite. I think this is something that has to be done by the media or by supporters. The only thing I can say is that this AFCON will be tougher than the one in the Ivory Coast.”

The Belgian coach believes the tournament will present a far greater challenge, largely because Africa’s traditional heavyweights are unlikely to repeat the mistakes that saw several of them exit early in the previous edition.

He added, “And you know why? Because I don’t think that the big countries will make the same mistake they did.

“As you remember, many big countries were not qualified for the later knockout rounds or were soon out of the tournament. I think of Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco and so on. That will not happen now. I think they learned their lesson the last AFCON.”

South Africa’s only AFCON triumph came in 1996, when they lifted the trophy on home soil