EDITORIAL | Bafana have dared us to dream again — 64-million of us send them our will

It has been 23 years since a Bafana Bafana squad left these shores for an Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with any kind of hope they might challenge for the trophy.

Probably Carlos Queiroz’s strong combination that exited with a quarterfinal defeat against hosts Mali in 2002 was the last that departed with hopes of challenging.

After the rude introduction to international football from readmission that included a number of four-goal thrashings, Clive Barker’s hosts lifted the trophy in 1996. Jomo Sono’s Bafana were runners-up in Burkina Faso in 1998, Trott Moloto’s side placed third in 2000 and Queiroz’s combination disappointed in West Africa.

From there it was two decades of group stage bomb-outs, failures to qualify and some sporadic signs of life in the late 2010s ― notably the shock of hosts Egypt under Stuart Baxter to reach the quarters in 2019 ― in a morbid and seemingly endless period of decline and disappointment from Bafana.

Hugo Broos’s arrival in 2021 coincided with a revival in talent feeder systems at clubs and some academies. The South African Football Association got something right training thousands of coaches and sides like Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates discovered their competitive continental footing.

Still, these kinds of paths to resurrection can be long and arduous. Hugo Broos’s team are no more than dark horses in the 2025 Afcon in Morocco, which kicks off with the hosts meeting Comoros in Rabat on Sunday and where Bafana open their Group B campaign against a tough Angola in Marrakesh on Monday (7pm SA time).

In their best result in 24 years, they finished third in the last Afcon in Ivory Coast, shocking 2022 World Cup semifinalists Morocco in the last 16 and taking nemeses Nigeria to penalties in the semifinals.

More exciting talent has come into the team. Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Mohau Nkota, Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis combine with classy older heads in Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Teboho Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole, Lyle Foster and Evidence Makgopa to form a truly dangerous combination.

As they have barely lost over the last two-and-a-half years, also qualifying for next year’s World Cup, a belief has grown that they can win things. Such hunger is a dangerous commodity. It served Barker’s 1996 legends superbly.

Much could depend on if Bafana beat an Angola with a squad of players mostly based at strong European teams. After that Egypt, led by Mohamed Salah in a quest to end a 15-year Afcon drought as the record seven-time winners, await in Agadir on December 26. Zimbabwe, who South Africa meet back in Marrakesh on December 29, always give their “big brother” neighbours a tough outing.

The national team need to know the country is behind them. South Africans are itching to love Bafana as much as they have almost universally come to admire the remarkable Springboks

If Broos’s team progress as Group B’s second-placed finishers they are almost certain to meet hosts Morocco in the last 16. Can Bafana really stun such a star-studded combination at two Afcons in a row, even if the Atlas Lions have a generally shocking Nations Cup record as African giants?

The opening two-and-a-half weeks could be the nerviest for Bafana. If they get past a tough group and whoever awaits in the last 16, they showed in Ivory Coast just under two years ago they can go toe-to-toe with anyone and could even reach the final. If there, who knows? After years of knowing not to get their hopes up for an almost guaranteed disappointment from Bafana, South Africans are daring to dream again.

The national team need to know the country is behind them. South Africans are itching to love Bafana as much as they have almost universally come to admire the remarkable Springboks.

Expanded from 16 to 24 teams in 2019, all the “minnows” added are not there to make up numbers and Afcon is highly competitive, made more so by the major increases in prize money under Patrice Motsepe’s Confederation of African Football presidency.

Progressing far is extremely challenging. Winning it takes all sorts of factors — perfect preparation, mental toughness, hunger, conditioning, talent, the right coaches, desire, the draw, bounce of the ball and plain luck — to fall into place.

It will be tough out there. Sixty-four-million South Africans will entrench themselves at TVs and glue themselves to cellphones to will Bafana on in Morocco, where perhaps, just perhaps, glory might await.