Bafana Bafana legend Lucas Radebe believes South Africa has what it takes to win the Africa Cup of Nations.
The 1996 AFCON winner says the team’s consistency and the stability under coach Hugo Broos, who has worked with the squad for some time, are key factors.
He feels that with the team having won the bronze medal in the last edition, more can be expected from them in the upcoming AFCON.
“I think the way the team has been performing, being stable and with the consistency they’ve shown in doing well, plus given that the group of players that we have who have been together for a while now – for me that’s a winning team,” said Radebe.
“And I think it brings hope and confidence to the fans that there’s a possibility [to win it]. I mean, after Ivory Coast [where Bafana Bafana finished third at the previous AFCON], that raised our hopes and we now expect them to do even better, even [to the extent of] winning it.
“And I mean, you can feel the vibe and the atmosphere with the national team playing and performing. It’s absolutely amazing. The glory days are back in our country.”
Radebe acknowledged that Bafana are in a tough group but says they have got enough depth in the team to compete.
“Tough, a very tough group. I think for us, we look at it and think – do we have the quality? Yes, we have the quality. Can we compete? Yes, we can compete,” he added.
“We know Egypt, but they are not the same team anymore. They pose a different challenge, but I think we have the players who can actually stand up to them and can compete at that level.
“Yes, for the tournament games, you need depth because there are injuries and challenges that we’re going to face, but I believe that with the team that Hugo Broos has built, we should believe in them.
“Along with Helman [Mkhalele] and the entire technical team, coach Broos has built a good team. It’s not the team that’s just been assembled now, but this is a team that has been growing and developing all these years to reach this level.
“And once you reach this level, expectations get a bit higher, but the consistency must be seen as well. And I believe that we will do well to possibly win it.”
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