After the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, I made an observation that major football tournaments of the future are going to get younger and younger.
By young I was referring to teenagers and players mostly under the age of 25 and the recently concluded 2024 Uefa Championships in Germany largely kept up with my observation.
There are those who disagreed with me, but I still hold that humble view and I want to caution that South African football needs to quickly smell the coffee, play catch-up and start producing quality young talent or risk being left far behind.
At the rate things are going internationally, it won’t be long before a teenager or a player under the age of 25 is named the best player of a major tournament and that is unlikely to be a South African.
More and more coaches, even at big clubs, are showing faith and giving opportunities to younger players and those youngsters go on to benefit their national teams.
In Qatar, Enzo Fernandez and Julian Alvarez (Argentina), Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka (England), Jamal Musiala (Germany), Kylian Mbappé, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga (France) impressed.
Lionel Messi, who was 35 years old in Qatar, won the Golden Ball for helping Argentina to the World Cup, but the impressive performances of young players could not be ignored.
Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong, who was almost 30, was named the best player at Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), but who will forget the performances of youngsters such as Simon Adingra and Ousmane Diomande (Ivory Coast), Lamine Camara (Senegal) and Thapelo Maseko (South Africa)?
At Copa América, James Rodríguez (33) of Colombia was named player of the tournament but youngsters like Jon Aramburu (Venezuela), Joe Scally (USA), Ismael Kone (Canada), Sávio (Brazil), Facundo Pellistri (Uruguay) Endrick (Brazil) and Kendry Páez (Ecuador) caught the eye.
At this Uefa Championships, Spain midfielder Rodri (28) was named the best player, but the tournament was illuminated by the prodigious talents of young teammate Lamine Yamal (17).
There were other eye-catching performances from Kobbie Mainoo (England), Arda Guler (Turkey), Xavi Simons (Holland), Francisco Conceicao (Portugal) and Nico Williams (Spain), to name a few.
It is also worth noting the likes of Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden (England), Jamal Musiala (Holland), Pedri (Spain), Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga and Josko Gvardiol (Croatia) came into the Euros with World Cup experience.
There were a number of older players like Luka Modric (Croatia), Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe (Portugal), Aymeric Laporte (Spain), Manuel Neuer (Germany) and Kasper Schmeichel, who showed they have still got it.
But the stage largely belonged to youngsters and South African football must take notes and fix developmental structures, or face the serious risk of Bafana Bafana being left behind.
We have only exported Shandre Campbell (19) to Belgian champions Club Brugge KV during this off season and the former SuperSport United winger has not played senior international football.
The other South African great young hope is Orlando Pirates attacker Relebohile Mofokeng (19), but he has only played two minutes of senior international football during a World Cup qualifier Zimbabwe.
Last season, young players like Ime Okon (SuperSport United), Siyabonga Mabena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Luke Baartman (Cape Town Spurs), Luphumlo Sifumba (Cape Town City), Mduduzi Tshabalala and Mfundo Vilakazi (Kaizer Chiefs), Asekho Tiwani (Sekhukhune United) got opportunities.
Most of these young South African players have not played Champions League or Confederation Cup football where examinations are tougher.
They are nowhere near the senior national team and the other worry is that the current Bafana Bafana squad is ageing, which is going to provide a serious headache for coach Hugo Broos.
Key players like Ronwen Williams, Veli Mothwa, Grant Kekana, Thapelo Morena, Mothobi Mvala, Themba Zwane and Percy Tau have already celebrated their 30th birthdays.
Then you have Khuliso Mudau, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Tapelo Xoki, Aubrey Modiba and Iqraam Rayners, who are fast approaching their 30s, with the 2025 Afcon and 2026 World Cup coming.
I know some will argue that Bafana finished third at Afcon in the Ivory Coast earlier in the year, but the current set-up where there is no conveyor belt of talent coming through is not sustainable.
Over the past few months, South African Football Association (Safa) technical director Walter Steenbok has facilitated for Caf A and B coaching courses and there are long term plans for Caf Pro.
Though this is highly commendable for Safa to conduct coaching courses, there is a strong feeling that more emphasis must be made for those who coach at amateur level, which is where the bulk of young players are found.
Coaching education and succession planning is important and this is true when you consider Luis de la Fuente of Spain added the Euro Championship to the U19 Euros, U21 Euros and Nations League he has already won.
If the country does not prioritise development to produce quality young players, Bafana is going to be caught out at international tournaments.
