Bafana Bafana head coach, Hugo Broos, says the inclusion of youngsters Shandre Campbell and Tylon Smith in his final AFCON squad is driven purely by their talent and the need to prepare them for the future of South African football.
Broos revealed his 25 man squad live on SABC Sport today, 1 December 2025.
Broos made it clear that the pair, who were promoted from the Amajita setup, have been chosen to gain valuable exposure at senior level rather than to immediately carry the team. “I took them for their quality, and we don’t really have to count on them to play in games. However, if the opportunity arises, we can give them a chance,” he said.
Campbell, who is currently with Club Brugge in Belgium, and Smith, who plays for Queens Park Rangers in England, were both part of the Under 20 team that won South Africa’s first ever AFCON title under coach Raymond Mdaka. Smith enjoyed a standout year, being crowned Best Player at the U 20 AFCON in Egypt and later becoming a finalist for CAF Young Player of the Year.
Broos said the AFCON tournament in Morocco, which runs from 21 December 2025 until 18 January 2026, will allow the duo to “adapt to a higher level of football” and observe the demands placed on senior internationals during training. “They are still players who are very talented and who played in AFCON, and it was a little surprising that they didn’t release Shandre to go with the U 20 team,” he noted.
He added that South Africa must think beyond the present. “The most important thing for them now is to gain experience with Bafana Bafana, and at the higher level they are confronted with. We can give them time to settle into the national team, which is why I decided to take those two players with us now to AFCON. We are also looking at the future, it may be a little easier for them to become regular players for Bafana Bafana.”
With the senior squad preparing for another continental challenge, Broos is confident that investing early in the country’s rising stars will pay off in the years ahead.
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