In this World Cup Special for the Arena Sports Show, host Clauiee Grace Mpanza and regular guest Mahlatse Mphahlele are joined by Bafana Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele.
Mkhalele explains why he is confident Bafana Bafana will progress to the last 32 of the 2026 Fifa World Cup co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.
The South Africans play the opening game of the tournament against co-hosts Mexico at Mexico City’s fabled Estadio Azteca on Thursday (9pm SA time).
Mkhalele discussed his strong relationship with head coach Hugo Broos, who he said gives him the freedom to contribute to training sessions and who the former national star said he has learnt a great deal from over the past five years.
“He is a coach who allows me to be myself, to express my opinons and participate fully during training sessions,” said Mkhalele, who starred for Bafana when they won the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil and played in their first World Cup at France 1998.
The former winger spoke about how the Bafana technical staff managed to turn around the national team’s fortunes after finding it at one of its lowest points, with supporters no longer interested in the long-ailing side as they often played in front of empty stadiums.
Mkhalele went down memory lane on how he was signed by Jomo Sono at Jomo Cosmos, later joined Pirates and his time as a player for Bafana.
He also had a successful career in Turkey, turning out for Kayserispor, Ankaragücü, Göztepe and Malatyaspor between 1997 and 2005.
TimesLIVE
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