Hugo Broos: Bafana Bafana group have an opportunity of a lifetime
3rd January 2024
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Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has stressed that, while he may not have the best possible Africa Cup of Nations squad, the players selected have every chance of doing well.
In 2017, Broos did the unthinkable with a very young Cameroon team, after several high-profile European-based players withdrew from the tournament to stay with their clubs, but he still led the Central African nation to their fifth AFCON title.
The 71-year-old says the message to Bafana players will be similar to that he used with the Indomitable Lions, which is to make use of this opportunity of a lifetime.
"Players know that next month they will [participate] in the biggest tournament of football, for them it's an opportunity to show their skills," said Broos.
"And I said it to the players of Cameroon as well, when we went to Gabon, because everyone asked themselves what this team is going to do in Gabon, and we won AFCON.
"So, I told the players there too that this is the opportunity they might have once in a sporting lifetime to show your skills on a scene that is being seen by nearly the whole world.
"So, that means for them it's very important to have great performances, and to play well, to win, and to go as far as possible. That is the story that I will tell again to this team."
Bafana are headed for their 11th appearance at the continental championship and, with just three players playing outside the Premier Soccer League, have the lowest foreign-based contingent in the history of their participation.
With 19 players based locally, Broos still feels he has a group of players that can achieve something special in Ivory Coast.
"I know, because this is the experience I have from the past, we have a very good group. We have guys that are a group, not 23 [individual] players, no. This is a group," he emphasised.
"So if everyone is convinced of their qualities, and they are mentally and physically ready, then I think we can have good results there [in Ivory Coast].
"Maybe not winning [the tournament] because you need a little bit of luck also to win AFCON. But we can make good results, I'm sure of it."
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