Angola Not Here to Admire South Africa: Coach
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has brushed aside suggestions that South Africa are among the favourites to lift the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, insisting the real contenders remain the hosts and the traditional West African heavyweights.
Speaking ahead of Bafana’s Group B opener against Angola in Marrakesh on Monday evening, Broos made it clear that his side’s immediate focus is a strong start rather than title talk.
“This tournament will be tougher than the last one,” said Broos. “Morocco, playing at home, will always be favourites, and you will always have strong teams from West Africa. The most important thing for us is to start well and then see how the tournament develops.”
The Angola clash has been identified internally as a must-win, as South Africa look to build early momentum in a group that also features Egypt and Zimbabwe. The tournament also represents a chance for Broos and his squad to prove that last year’s bronze-medal finish in Ivory Coast was no coincidence.
Bafana captain Ronwen Williams believes South Africa can no longer fly under the radar, pointing to their recent consistency and growing confidence.
“We’ve stood up against the best teams in Africa,” said Williams. “We beat Morocco, we haven’t lost to Nigeria recently, and we’ve gone on a long unbeaten run. If we want to win AFCON, we must push ourselves even harder. It won’t be easy, but we have to show that we are capable.”
Angola Coach Shrugs Off History and Targets Winning Start Against Bafana
Angola, however, present a serious opening challenge. They boast several Europe-based players and are appearing at their third consecutive AFCON. Their coach, Patrice Beaumelle, has dismissed past results between the two sides and is equally focused on starting the tournament with a victory.
“Statistics don’t mean anything in football,” Beaumelle said. “We want to begin AFCON with a win. This tournament is long, and it’s not only about South Africa — we also have matches against Zimbabwe and Egypt.”
While the opening result will not decide Group B outright, it could shape the direction of both teams’ campaigns. For Broos, the match also carries personal significance, marking his 50th game in charge of Bafana Bafana and his second consecutive AFCON tournament as the national side’s longest-serving coach.
For South Africa, the message is simple: forget the favourites tag, win the opener, and let performances do the talking.