Mosimane Makes Bold Bafana Promise as FIFA Ranking Push Intensifies

Mosimane Makes Bold Bafana Promise as FIFA Ranking Push Intensifies

Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has made a strong commitment to continue testing South Africa against high-quality international opposition as he targets further progress in the FIFA world rankings.

Mosimane believes that carefully selected international fixtures will be crucial to consolidating South Africa’s position among the world’s top 50 teams and improving their standing ahead of future major tournaments.

Speaking to SABC Sport, the experienced coach explained that Bafana’s rise to 48th in the FIFA rankings was not accidental but the result of deliberate planning and positive results against competitive opponents.

South Africa recently recorded victories over Guinea and Eritrea in their Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying campaign before securing an important friendly win against Egypt, who were ranked third in Africa and 25th in the world at the time.

According to Mosimane, victories against highly ranked opponents offer greater opportunities to collect valuable ranking points than wins against lower-ranked nations.

“Yes, it’s humbling. Of course, we have to acknowledge the team where I found it,” Mosimane said, recognising the foundation laid during Hugo Broos’ tenure. He stressed, however, that the current technical team must continue building on that progress.

The coach also made it clear that he would not sacrifice competitive ambition simply to avoid the risks associated with playing stronger teams.

Reflecting on his previous experience as Bafana coach, Mosimane explained that arranging challenging friendlies requires courage because positive results are never guaranteed.

“The most important thing is to play strategically. Friendlies must be strategic,” he said, adding that he was prepared to accept the consequences of difficult decisions rather than choose supposedly easier opponents.

Mosimane believes the victory over Egypt demonstrated the value of that approach. Had South Africa selected a lower-ranked opponent and failed to win, the team could have missed an important opportunity to strengthen its ranking.

Bafana currently occupy 10th place in Africa, but the ambition is to climb into the continental top six or seven. Such an improvement could strengthen South Africa’s seeding ahead of the 2027 AFCON draw in the PAMOJA region, potentially helping the team avoid several heavyweight nations in the early stages.

A stronger FIFA ranking could also benefit South African footballers pursuing opportunities abroad, as international exposure and the national team’s standing can contribute to their visibility.

With the next round of friendlies expected in June ahead of AFCON, Mosimane intends to continue assessing players while prioritising meaningful opposition.

His message is clear: Bafana Bafana must embrace difficult challenges if they want to improve their international standing and compete more consistently against Africa’s strongest sides. For Mosimane, protecting progress means taking calculated risks rather than settling for comfort.

Source https://x.com/MDNnewss/status/2113499612262592606

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