Legend Shaun Bartlett backs Bafana Bafana to end 30-year AFCON wait

Bafana Bafana have found it difficult to clear the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) barrier since their 1996 success, but former striker Shaun Bartlett believes the upcoming tournament may offer South Africa an ideal chance to claim a second continental title.

Under Hugo Broos, the team has grown into one of the more promising national sides in recent memory. The upcoming tournament not only offers them a chance to build on that progress but also to lay a strong foundation for their upcoming World Cup campaign.

Since their 1996 victory, South Africa have struggled to meet expectations. Their best subsequent result was a runners-up finish in 1998, while their third-place finish in the 2000 and 2023 edition was their most notable performance since that 1998 loss to Egypt (2-0) in the final.

Bartlett, who scored 28 goals in 74 appearances for Bafana, sees the upcoming tournament as an opportunity for Broos and his squad to make history, particularly after their semi-final exit in the last edition—a 4-2 penalty shootout loss to Nigeria following a 1-1 draw in normal time.

“We have a perfect opportunity to rewrite history with the current squad because next year it will be 30 years since we last won it,” Bartlett said, looking ahead to the tournament.

“So imagine if our team can go all the way and win it 30 years later, and that is ideally what we are hoping for.

“Any game in any tournament format is difficult, but our players know exactly what it takes to get to a semi-final and also the final hurdle, just to get over it and go all the way.

“So that mentality is what Hugo Broos has definitely worked on, because the players now have a stronger mindset and are mentally tougher than before.”

Bafana have shown marked improvement over the last few years, particularly under the Belgian coach. Bartlett points out that while the team has impressed, there are still areas they can refine to become even more formidable.

“We can improve on our set plays, and that is one of the aspects that worldwide has become very massive.

“If you look at European football, if you can’t score goals the normal way of breaking down teams, then set plays have become something big. Maybe a variation in that can help us in our games because we can surprise a few teams.

“You don’t have to be the tallest players on the field to score goals; it is just a matter of having different set plays with variation in order to get your best players free.”

Bartlett emphasised that defence will be crucial in the tournament, particularly given the quality of many opponents' attacks.

“Goals have been coming from all over the park. We have enough quality, it’s just a matter of the discipline in order to not concede.

“I have always maintained that it’s (defending) a general African problem because we do not teach anyone how to attack—it’s natural with our skill and flair—it’s just about having the discipline and organisation to not concede.”