Broos explains why Mudau can now be a main man for Bafana Bafana

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has seen “enormous progression” from Mamelodi Sundowns right back Khuliso Mudau, who is again in the South Africa squad for this month’s World Cup qualifiers against Benin and Rwanda.

Mudau gave a stellar performances as Bafana drew 1-1 with the Ivory Coast in an international friendly in Abidjan last month, marking a world class winger in Wilfried Zaha out of the game while providing an attacking threat of his own.

Mudau appears to have cemented his place as the first choice right back in Broos’ team, but that was not always the case. In the past Broos has caused controversy by not picking Mudau in his squad, despite stellar performances for Masandawana.

“When I came here (Broos took over as Bafana coach in May 2021) and I saw Mudau I was not happy and he was not with us. We preferred (Nyiko) Mobbie and (Thapelo) Morena. But during the last six months, I have seen enormous progression in the way he has been playing.

“Now he is not only a right back who is offensively strong, he has learned a lot defensively. When I saw him play Zaha … there was a big difference in quality than when we saw him against France and Morocco.”

Bafana setbacks

Mudau did play in a friendly against France in March 2022, but it was a game Bafana lost 5-0 and in which he was red-carded in the 84^th minute. He then also played in Bafana’s opening 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Morocco in June of the same year, but Bafana lost that game 2-1.

After Broos’ comments and Mudau’s improvements, however, it will be surprising if the Sundowns man does not start against Benin at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on November 18.

“He is (now) a good right-sided defender, and a good right-sided offensive defender,” added the Bafana coach, though he refused to specifically name Mudau as his first choice.

“I don’t talk like this,” said Broos, but he scored many good points against Ivory Coast.