Broos admits leaving Zwane out of Bafana squad was his ‘biggest mistake’

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has admitted that not including Mamelodi Sundowns captain Themba Zwane in his squad was “his biggest mistake.”

The Belgian coach initially left the 35-year-old out of the national team, saying he didn’t fit his preferred age group, but later changed his mind after seeing Zwane’s performances for Sundowns.

When Broos took over as coach in May 2021, he didn’t call up Zwane, explaining that the midfielder didn’t meet his age criteria.

But after Zwane’s strong performances at club level, Broos realised he had made a mistake, and the player was recalled to the national side in September 2022.

Since then, Zwane has become a key part of the Bafana team.

Broos admitted he had made a mistake, saying, “This may be my biggest mistake I made here in South Africa, not to take him from the first minute. Themba is not only a good player but also a good human being.”

Broos went on to explain that when Zwane first joined the team, he explained the reason for not selecting him earlier, and Zwane understood, adding, “Maybe you were right at that moment.”

He also praised Zwane’s role in the team, saying, “I gave him full confidence from the beginning. I asked him to play in a certain way.

Themba for us is the man who has to play between the lines.”

Broos acknowledged that Zwane is getting older and said that eventually, they would need to look for a replacement.

“He’s 35 already,” said Broos. “I’ve already said months ago that we need to think about replacing him, but I pray to God he recovers well from injury. He doesn’t deserve that.”

With Zwane out for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Broos is hoping to find a player to step into his role.

Patrick Maswanganyi from Orlando Pirates is seen as a potential replacement, but Broos has said that he still has faith in Maswanganyi despite his lack of form in the national team so far.

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