Age nothing but a number as Hugo Broos hails Themba Zwane's Bafana Bafana return

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says Themba Zwane naturally commands respect and is almost “un-coachable”, insisting it would be difficult to leave him out when fully fit.

Broos recently named Zwane in his final squad for the two international friendlies against Panama this month, marking the veteran midfielder’s return to the national setup after sustaining an injury late in 2024.

Zwane’s recall has drawn mixed reactions. Some believe he remains a valuable addition to Bafana due to his talent and experience, while others argue he lacks sufficient game time, as he is carefully managed at Mamelodi Sundowns.

Broos, however, supports the former view. After Zwane repaid the faith shown in him when the coach reversed his earlier stance about him being “overage”, the Belgian has grown to admire the 36-year-old even more. He admitted he feared the worst when Zwane picked up his injury.

“I don’t have to explain the kind of impact Themba has had on the national team,” said Broos after naming his 23-member squad at SABC studios in Johannesburg this week.

“Certainly, there was the injury, and I thought that was the end of his career. When you have that kind of injury at that age, there’s a big chance your career is finished. But when I heard how hard he worked to come back, and about his ambition to return – after speaking to him for five minutes after the game against Rwanda – I immediately felt how much he loves being back in the national team.”

With Zwane often used as an impact player at Sundowns, it remains to be seen how regularly he will feature for Bafana. Broos, however, has no doubt about the influence he will bring both on and off the pitch.

“So, I don’t think you should hesitate when that guy is fit. I don’t,” Broos said. “We’ll see how fit he is and what he can bring, but I hope we have him back at full strength – he’s an experienced player. You don’t hear him speak all the time, but everyone respects him. I see it at Sundowns – everyone respects him. It’s important to have that kind of player in your team.”

Zwane’s return coincides with the omission of Sipho Mbule, who impressed while filling in during the latter stages of last year’s Fifa World Cup qualifiers and AFCON preparations. Broos explained what sets Zwane apart from the other creative players in the squad.

“There’s something like consistency,” he said.

“When you look at what Themba did before his injury, he was consistent in his performances and made us play better. He’s intelligent – it’s difficult to explain. I never had to explain things to Themba – what to do or where to be. He just does it. He does exactly what I want.”

With Zwane potentially heading toward his final major tournament at the Fifa World Cup, should he remain fit, Broos has already begun identifying a possible successor in the number 10 role. “I think Relebohile Mofokeng can do it as well,” Broos said.

“He’s not a winger, so I will see now if he can satisfy us in that position. For me, he will no longer play on the wings.”