Former Bafana Bafana Player Siyabonga Nomvethe Motivates The Squad Before The World Cup Qualifiers. Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix.
(The Post News)– Former striker Siyabonga Nomvethe has urged Bafana Bafana to maintain concentration and complete their efforts in order to secure a place for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as the squad gets closer to making a comeback to the international scene.
South Africa is tied with Group C toppers Benin on 14 points with two qualifiers left, leading just by goal differential. They will take on Zimbabwe at 6 p.m. on Friday at Moses Mabhida Stadium in the following game. They will then play Rwanda, who shocked them in the opening round earlier this year with a score of 2-0.
The squad’s present trip is both historic and sentimental for Nomvethe, who earned South Africa’s first-ever World Cup triumph with a stunning goal against Slovenia in the fourth minute in 2002. The 47-year-old is aware of what is necessary and what it implies to step onto the most prominent stage in sports.
Nomvethe Praised Bafana’s Performance
He said, “Bafana has done an excellent job to get this far; they just need to put in some extra work to get over the last line. They’ve trained extremely hard to get there.”
His support arrives at a crucial moment. FIFA punished South Africa three points a few weeks ago for using Teboho Mokoena, who was supposed to be completing his suspension, in their March 3–0 victory over Lesotho. The team’s enthusiasm was severely damaged by the administrative blunder.
Nomvethe acknowledged that the points reduction was painful, but it’s not the end of it. Two outstanding efforts might put us over the finish line, and the distance is still narrow. This is very much a work in progress. Nomvethe was hopeful, but he also issued a warning. Despite the pressure and any distractions, he advised the players and coach Hugo Broos to keep their focus on their own game.
The majority of the current team were barely out of diapers when Nomvethe scored that iconic goal because South Africa had not qualified for the World Cup since 2002 and had last hosted the tournament in 2010. Now that the USA, Canada, and Mexico will jointly host the 2026 World Cup, Bafana will once again be on the cusp of history.
“It’s totally for them. All they have to do is remain committed, maintain their faith, and remain victorious,” Nomvethe remarked.
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