Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi has addressed the recent comments made by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos regarding the exclusion of Amakhosi players from the national team.
The issue came to light after Broos announced his squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin, with neither Chiefs player nor any member of the club's current squad making the final cut.
Broos’ decision to leave out Chiefs players, including midfielder Thabo Cele, has raised questions and sparked discussions among football fans.
While Rushwin Dortley was initially part of the preliminary squad, his injury ruled him out before the final selection was made.
𝗗𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗘
Ndamulelo Maphangule from Ha-Masakona Village in Limpopo has been called up to the Bafana Bafana squad by head coach Hugo Broos.
The 24-year-old replaces Orlando Pirates midfielder Patrick Maswanganyi, who has been withdrawn due to injury.
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When asked about Cele and the possibility of his future inclusion, Broos responded cautiously, saying, “Yeah, sure [he will be considered].”
However, Broos was quick to point out that the main reason for the lack of Chiefs players in the squad was the team's overall performance, which, in his view, has not been at the level required for national team selection.
“You can’t say that Chiefs already are back. I thought maybe at the beginning of the season, but I don’t know what happened because they are still struggling,” Broos said.
“And I saw them yesterday [last Wednesday], playing against Cape Town City FC. You can’t say that everything is alright in that team.”
The Belgian coach was straightforward in his assessment of the team’s current form.
“When the team is better and players play better, surely we will call up players from Chiefs. But for the moment, I don’t think that I have to call them because they are really struggling in the league.”
Broos expressed his hope that not only Chiefs but all of South African football could see an improvement in the near future.
“Let’s hope that, not only for Chiefs but for all South African football, next year they are again that big team… [that] fights for the championship.”
In response, Nabi took a calm and respectful approach, acknowledging Broos’ right to make his own decisions while maintaining a belief in the quality of his players.
The Chiefs coach reiterated that the decision ultimately lies with the national team coach, and as such, he respects Broos’ call regarding Cele’s exclusion.
“We have to respect the choices and the decisions of the national team coach because he’s the one who makes the choices,” Nabi said after seeing his side lose to Richards Bay on Sunday.
“That doesn’t take away from the fact that Cele is a very good player. We know that with hard work, that time will come.”
Nabi expressed confidence that Cele, like other Chiefs players, could earn a national team call-up in the future, provided they continue working hard and improving their performances.
“We hope that in the future, he will return to the national team. We know that by working hard, that time will come,” he added.