Bafana Bafana news: Tito knew he wasn’t going to Afcon
Tito Maswanganyi is not surprised at all that he didn’t make the Bafana Bafana squad for the upcoming 2025 Afcon tournament.
Orlando Pirates midfielder Patrick ‘Tito’ Maswanganyi knew that he was not going to be in the Bafana Bafana squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
Maswanganyi was struggling for game time at Pirates in recent months, and that cost him a place in the Bafana Bafana squad.
Speaking to Andile Ncube on Metro FM, Maswanganyi admitted that his lack of game time is the reason he’s not there.
However, he appears to have not taken his omission negatively, saying he will now work harder and wait for his chance.
TITO NOT SURPRISED BY AFCON SNUB
“I already knew that I wasn’t going to make it to the Afcon squad because I wasn’t playing – I would get a few minutes to play,” said Maswanganyi as per SABC Sport.
“But I think when I was called up to the national team, I had problems with small injuries.
“I think those kinds of things do affect your mind and your position in the national team, because we have a lot of players in the country who are working hard and are doing very well and deserve to be selected.”
“For me, I didn’t even think about it, because I already knew that I wasn’t going to make it,” he added.
THEMBA ZWANE COMPARISON BUT…
At one stage, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos gave Maswanganyi a chance, saying he could be the player to replace the ageing Themba Zwane.
And the 27-year-old has hardly put his foot wrong in the five international matches he’s played for Bafana Bafana.
Maswanganyi has two goals to his name in the Bafana Bafana jersey, and with the FIFA World Cup around the corner, he could still reclaim his spot.