Bafana Bafana’s white and grey jersey, which they wore as they historically beat Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations in the round of 16 on Tuesday, has been sold out according to kit sponsor LeCoq Sportif.
“Yes, it is sold out,” LeCoq marketing manager Courtney Williams told iDiski Times.
That is due to Bafana having defeated the 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinals, in what was one of the shocking results in what has been the crazy of shocks tournament in Ivory Coast.
The impact of that win with goals scored by Evidence Makgopa and a brilliant free kick by Teboho Mokoena, has been felt by the French manufacturer in its stores.
“It is exciting news because firstly we were trying to manage the stock levels and we have spoken to the team, and we were looking at launching it at AFCON against Morocco,” added Williams.
“With the team doing well, then the jersey picked it up and we have been inundated with requests online, and then that got sold out immediately. But we are doing a bit of top-up order now and we are pushing it through the stores.”
This is the first time LeCoq, who was heavily criticized previously, has seen such a reaction in South Africa.
“Obviously, off the back of the local designer designing these jerseys, I think we created a bit of excitement, we created a bit of hype,” said Williams.
“I think people liked the story and then we went to the black jersey for Banyana that they debuted at World Cup (last year) and that was a bit of a story as well. We went with it because Banyana got the black jersey, we wanted to do all white and silver grey for Bafana Bafana for the AFCON.
“Yes, there has been hype, excitement. But your best marketing tool, for any jersey, is when the team does well. When the team plays well, the team performs, people will want to wear the jersey.
“So, the story is great, the design looks cool, we voted for the design, we liked it.”
Bafana, who will be searching for the semifinal spot, will now face Cape Verde Island in the quarter-finals at Charles Konan Banny de Stadium in Yamoussoukro (22:00) on Saturday.
Williams hopes they reach the semifinals for the first time since 2000 when they lost to Nigeria’s Super Eagles, to keep the buzz of the jersey going.
“We are prepared for that (to have more stock if they win), we have placed preliminary orders to try and top-up,” he said.
“We have sent out a stock on Friday around Gauteng around different stores. We will also set up a pre-order link on our website if people run out of stock.”
It will be a grudge match for Bafana against Cape Verde. The Blue Sharks painfully dashed Bafana’s hopes in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the CAF zone, losing both home and away matches.
Garry Rodriguez, who is Cape Verde dangerman and carries the threat up front, scored twice in the tie in South Africa, leaving coach Stuart Baxter crushed.
