As Fifa makes the World Cup circle bigger, Pitso Mosimane has 'unfinished business'

Al-Ahli Saudi Football Club head coach Pitso Mosimane has ambitions to coach an African national team again, and win big this time after his two-year tenure with Bafana Bafana from 2010 to 2012 failed to deliver any trophies. 

World footballing governing body Fifa this week announced there will be more teams at the 2026 World Cup, including nine direct spots and an inter-confederation play-off place for African sides.

In a short video interview on social media, Mosimane, 58, said: “There is nothing wrong with doing a national team again. It is something on my plate, it is unfinished business for me to be honest. That is the only place that I have never won a trophy.”  

Mosimane said whatever national team he coached could aim at taking the Africa Cup of Nations trophy or the next Fifa World Cup. 

“If we dream big, an African team winning the World Cup is possible. There are always possibilities, you can never say never, it’s open. I would love to (coach a national team), especially now with this opportunity of 11 teams in the next World Cup. I mean, everybody has a chance there.” 

No African team has won the World Cup yet. 

The former midfielder said coaching a national team was “a thorn in the flesh” for him. 

Mosimane has been with Al-Ahli Saudi since September 2022.  Before that he was the Egyptian team Al Ahly Football Club for two years.

In his time with Al Ahly he won the Egyptian champion trophy, the Egyptian football league and the Egyptian Cup. He also won the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions league trophy.  

He spent his longest career tenure with Mamelodi Sundowns, which he coached for eight years. Mosimane won several trophies with Sundowns, including the CAF trophy in 2016.