‘Yaya’ Sithole credits Hugo Broos for ‘proving to people I belong in Bafana’

Flashing a broad, welcoming smile, Sphephelo Sithole readily admits it took time to convince the critics he was the right player to be fielded alongside Teboho Mokoena in Bafana Bafana's engine room.

I meet the tall midfielder, born in Ulundi in northern KwaZulu-Natal, at Bafana's team hotel in Bloemfontein ahead of the team's crucial 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe at Free State Stadium on Tuesday (6pm).   

Sithole, 25, nicknamed “Yaya” after legendary Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure, has already contributed immensely to Bafana's World Cup campaign. The most memorable and recent instance was his delicious defence-splitting assist for Themba Zwane to open the scoring in the 1-1 draw against Nigeria in Uyo on Friday — a huge result for the South Africans. 

Based in Europe, having left South Africa when he was 19 after being groomed for four years at the KZN Academy in Durban, not many knew who Sithole was when he was introduced to the national team. That the midfielder from CD Tondela in Liga Portugal 2, who has had Primeira Liga game time previously at Belenenses, was not playing for a high-profile club or in a top European league created doubts on his suitability. 

“What helped me was I never paid much attention to what people were saying about me on social media, for instance, because I was not in that space. I do understand that when like me, you've never played professional football in South Africa, people will ask a lot of questions about what you're capable of.

“I had to take my time convincing a lot of people while also convincing the coach [Hugo Broos] and my teammates I could be part of this team.”

Any doubts were erased in January and February this year at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), where the gangling midfielder, who has earned 17 caps, started in all seven matches that propelled Bafana to an unexpected bronze medal. So critical was Sithole's role he was only substituted in two of those games in Ivory Coast as he and Mokoena proved a vital cog in Bafana's control of the proceedings and protecting the defence.

“It's just people didn't know — they ask themselves a lot of questions when you seem to appear out of nowhere. It's normal — in South Africa, when people don't know you and you're doing something they don't appreciate, they'll be quick to judge you.

“But credit has to go to coach Broos for persevering with me and proving to people I indeed belong in Bafana. My job is very simple: to help the team when in possession and in keeping the shape and winning possession when we don't have the ball.

“I may like to go forward to the sort of stuff I did against Nigeria, but I have to listen to what the coach says and wants and what the game demands. In my position you can't always do what you want.

“You may think you can score a goal or two, but first and foremost you have to think about the whole team rather than yourself. To win, with any coach in the world you need to do what he asks you to. If he tells to stay [back] and not go, just stay.” 

While Sithole had to prove himself as a Bafana player, when he was younger he had to do a lot to prove to his mom he was destined for professional football. “They [his family] didn't expect me to be where I am, I won't lie. My mom never wanted me to play football. She wanted me to go school. I used to steal going to football fields,” Sithole said with a chuckle. 

The player highlighted what Broos has installed in Bafana: the mentality to be strong against tough opponents such as Nigeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, who South Africa have faced and matched in recent matches. 

“It doesn't start with us going to the game to win matches. It starts with how we're united as the team. Even when we have a new player coming to earn his first cap, we give that player a good welcome. We then transfer that to the field where we help each other.”

Going to Europe at 19 helped shape Sithole's football career, giving him independence and toughness. “It's never easy to be that side alone. Sometimes you don't even know how to communicate with people, but if you know what you want, you'll stay. A player's mind must always be free because when you have a lot of things [going on] your performance will be affected. It's important to know what you want.”

And for Sithole there two important things he wants to achieve in the foreseeable future. First, he's eager to help Bafana qualify for the 2026 World Cup. “It's critical. It's every player's dream to play at the World Cup.” 

Second, he of course hopes to move to a bigger club in Europe. Sithole's dream move may happen this off-season if his agent seals a deal with one of the clubs monitoring his incredible progress in recent months. 

Alongside Mokoena and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, Sithole was among the Bafana players who were believed to have attracted a lot of interest from European clubs in their surprise run at the Nations Cup.

“I still have a year's option left on my contract with Tondela, but it depends on the club whether they accept the offer. I'm not sure where I will go, but my agent is busy with that. I've been in this situation [hoping to move] before, but it didn't happen. I'm hoping this time it happens. Premier League or La Liga are some of the leagues I hope to play in one day.”

I know people think it's going to be walkover game, but it's not. They also have good players, some of them [such as skipper Marshall Munetsi of Stade de Reims] play in France. It's not going to be an easy game. We need to win for us to be happy, for the country to be happy and for the coach also to be happy.

—  Sphephelo Sithole

Sithole is not thinking about joining one of the giants in the Premier Soccer League — for now. “For now no-one [in South Africa] has come with an official offer. Obviously you never know because when I grew up I supported Kaizer Chiefs. So anything can happen — but later, not now,” he said with a laugh. 

Sithole's strong Afcon showing has been followed some performances in the World Cup qualifiers, the notable one against Nigeria. The point earned kept Broos's team on four points, just a point behind shock Group C leaders Lesotho, whose next fixture is against Rwanda at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Friday. Bafana's hard work can be strengthened, or undone, against Zimbabwe.

“It's very important,” says Sithole of getting three points against the neighbours in Bafana's first match in the Free State since beating France 2-1 in their final 2010 World Cup group match.

“I know people think it's going to be walkover game, but it's not. They also have good players, some of them [such as skipper Marshall Munetsi of Stade de Reims] play in France. It's not going to be an easy game. We need to win for us to be happy, for the country to be happy and for the coach also to be happy.”

Often Bafana disappoint when they face low-ranked opposition and Sithole agrees they have to change their mentally, also stressing a need for patience in their build up play.

“I think we need to be mentally prepared to play against Zimbabwe because sometimes against these teams we struggle to keep our patience. They sit at the back and we get frustrated when we don't score.

“Sometimes things don't happen the way we want, but I think if we can be mentally prepared we'll then accept things will happen in their own time.”