Bafana Bafana legend Doctor Khumalo believes South Africa’s performances at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations did not accurately reflect the team’s true potential.
Khumalo, a member of the 1996 AFCON-winning squad, was speaking in Rabat, Morocco, where he is serving as a CAF ambassador. He watched Bafana’s 2–1 defeat to Cameroon on Sunday, a result that saw South Africa exit the tournament.
According to Khumalo, the team that competed in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers showed far greater cohesion and confidence than the side that featured at AFCON in Morocco.
“The edition in Ivory Coast was not the same as the one in Morocco. In Ivory Coast, the team was dominated by Sundowns players, but in Morocco it’s only Pirates and Sundowns, so it’s really not the same,” said Khumalo.
He added that the team’s style of play had also changed noticeably.
“The fluidity of the game is not the same. When we played in the World Cup and AFCON qualifiers, we were a monster, we were unstoppable, but that changed,” he said.
Khumalo’s comments come as SA reflects on another early AFCON exit, despite encouraging performances in recent international qualifiers.
–ChannelAfrica–
