Bafana Bafana defender Ime Okon has shared his feelings after his country was knocked out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
South Africa will be heading back home after losing 1-0 to the tournament’s co-hosts, Canada, at Los Angeles Stadium on Sunday.
Okon admitted it was a “down” moment for him and his teammates after experiencing the pain of defeat, despite their fighting spirit.
“I’m very down, but this is football and you can only learn from it, we’re just looking forward to the future,” Okon told Sporty TV.
“Yeah [we had a good game] but at the end of the day, we conceded a goal and it’s 1-0. So, it’s not really [helping].”
From here, Bafana will focus on the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, aiming to return to the continental tournament stronger than before.
The Hannover 96 defender says it will be important for all players to once again have the opportunity to represent the country.
“To represent a country is something bid for every player, so we look forward to it,” he added.
“For now, we’re still down after this but we will see.”
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