Pretoria News

Spain, Germany blueprint might benefit Bafana

SMISO MSOMI smiso.msomi@inl.co.za

THE South African national team coach Hugo Broos has ruffled a few feathers with his latest squad announcement for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers.

Bafana Bafana will go head-to-head with Liberia in a double-header to determine who follows Morocco, who have all but secured their place at next year’s Afcon finals.

Broos named 10 Mamelodi Sundowns players in his preliminary 36-man group and then eight in his final 23-man squad to be entrusted with securing qualification to Ivory Coast next year. The experienced Belgian mentor has seemingly adopted a strategy proven successful by some of the world’s best footballing nations.

The Spanish and German national football teams have both achieved tremendous success in recent years, winning two World Cups between them in the last 13 years.

Both nations relied heavily on players from one particular club to form the core of their squads, and this has been a big contributor to their success.

In Spain, the club in question is Barcelona. The Catalan giants have provided a huge number of players to the Spanish national team, including the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets and Cesc Fabregas.

This core of players formed the basis for the Spanish team’s success, and it was this group of players that helped them to win the 2008 and

2012 European Championship and the 2010 World Cup.

Meanwhile, in Germany, the club in focus is Bayern Munich. Since 2008, the Bavarian giants have provided a number of players to the German national team, including the likes of Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer and Jerome Boateng.

This generation of players also formed the basis for the German team’s reinvigorated success, and it was this group of players that helped them to win the 2014 World Cup.

The reliance of both Spanish and German national teams on players from one club each has been a major factor in their success, as a strong team spirit and understanding have led to them achieving and sustaining their success models. The mighty Brazilians from Chloorkop have exhibited not only a dominance on the domestic front but also on the continental stage.

Sundowns recently hammered ‘Club of the Century’ Al Ahly in their latest meeting in the CAF Champions League, a clear closing of the gap between north and south that Bafana should benefit from.

Forming a foundation on the back of the likes of Ronwen Williams, Grant Kekana, Teboho Mokoena and possibly Cassius Mailula in the future might not only boost Bafana’s chances of claiming silverware but also establish sustainable processes for future generations.

Therefore if the former world champions Spain and Germany could do it, then so can Broos.

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2023-03-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://pretorianews.pressreader.com/article/281681144113377

African News Agency