Broos On Maseko: He Couldn’t Show His Quali…

Thapelo Maseko is back in the national team for the first time since 2024.

It’s no secret that Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is a huge admirer of Thapelo Maseko.

There are, however, a couple of reasons he has not been able to select the speedy wing in two years. Injuries, at times, have hampered his progress while game time at Sundowns was scarce. A loan move in January to Cyprus has not only revived his career, but it’s opened the door to a possible FIFA World Cup spot.

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The former SuperSport, who has been in good form since signing a deal until the end of the season with AEL Limassol, has been included in Broos’ final squad for the two international friendlies with Panama, to be played in Durban and Cape Town.

Maseko was part of Broos’ squad that finished third at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast in 2024, but injury affected him after the tournament. When he was fit to play, game time was hard to come by and often had to rely on the DStv Diski Challenge to get some sort of run on the pitch.

Broos says his former assistant Chedomir Janevski played a role in Maseko’s return.

“I think Thapelo has a difficult period behind him. At Sundowns he was injured month after month. He couldn’t perform, he couldn’t show his quality. He is in Cyprus and he is playing  very good and my old assistant coach follows the Cypriot Championship closely. He called me a month ago and said ‘Thapelo is playing very good, look at him’. So, we were looking at some games and we were immediately convinced and we have to call him back.”

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“He was with us in AFCON and he scored against Namibia and then it happened again, he got an injury. And then in Sundowns he was more injured than he could play. Let’s hope now he restarts and we have Thapelo back.”

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