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Bafana fires the first Shot, Broos drops massive 54-man list for Morocco 2025

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye
By Maxwell Kumoye 

  

South Africa has thrown down the gauntlet ahead of next month’s TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, becoming the first nation to unveil a squad and coach Hugo Broos didn’t just release a list, he dropped a bombshell.

On Monday, Broos named a massive 54-player preliminary squad, a statement of intent that screams depth, ambition, and a head coach leaving no stone unturned as Bafana Bafana eye a deeper run than their impressive semi-final finish in Cote d’Ivoire.

And he didn’t have to look far. Orlando Pirates –13 players and Mamelodi Sundowns –10 players South Africa’s CAF Champions League heavyweights, dominate the roster, proving once again that the heartbeat of the national team is pounding strongest at home.

But the headline stealer?

Themba Zwane is back. The 36-year-old midfield magician, who hasn’t kicked a ball since September after yet another knee injury, has been thrown into the preliminary mix. 

It’s a bold call, but Broos knows what everyone else knows: a fit Themba Zwane changes games.

Zwane was monumental in South Africa’s run to the last AFCON semi-finals, and despite spending most of last season in the treatment room, Broos clearly believes the veteran still has one last masterpiece in his boots.

The South African Football Association says the trimmed-down final 23-man squad will drop in the coming days, well before the December 11 CAF deadline, giving fans more time to debate, dream, and argue over who stays and who gets cut.

For now, Broos has made the first move. And the rest of Africa is watching.
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