Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has explained why Iqraam Rayners, Mduduzi Shabalala and Thabo Moloisane are not part of their travelling squad to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The trio are currently on standby for the AFCON, from the 25-man squad that was named on Monday afternoon by the Belgian mentor, currently in his home country ahead of his trip to America this week for the draw of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Rayners, who has been an ever-present figure in the national team over the past year and a serial goalscorer in the Premier Soccer League is considered the most surprising omission, but the door is not completely closed, should injuries occur before or during the AFCON.
“Yes, it’s very important that we have players who knows, if there’s really something happening with injuries or something that we can count on them, so we will ask them to stay in shape, to train, not as the usual but to keep in a good condition,” he said via SABC Sport.
“Because any moment something could happen and we need to be prepared – so that’s why I had also… selected three standby players. I don’t want to take them with me and have 28 players every day on training and it’s not easy to work with that.
“So, I asked them to standby and let’s hope that we don’t need them, because it means we have a problem but, on another hand, I hope for them there will be a possibility or chance for them to still come to Morocco.”
Nine of the 2023 AFCON squad that secured bronze in Ivory Coast are in the current squad; Rowen Williams, Ricardo Goss, Khuliso Mudau, Nkosanathi Sibisi, Aubrey Modiba, Sphephelo Sithole, Teboho Mokoena, Oswin Appollis and Evidence Makgopa.
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