Bafana Bafana's Hugo Broos brokers Khuliso Mudau's return to training ahead of qualifiers

Hugo Broos, who has publicly backed Khuliso Mudau as the best right-back in the country, has voiced concern over the player's absence from both the Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana squads ahead of next month’s crucial FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria.

Taking the matter into his own hands, the Belgian tactician approached Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso for permission to speak with Mudau directly. Acknowledging that the player was in a difficult situation, Broos also recognised the negative implications of Mudau’s absence from both club and country.

"I had a meeting with Khuliso, and I told him that he was right in some things, but he was not right in other things — like not training," Broos said, stressing the importance of professionalism even in the face of personal or contractual challenges."You don’t solve a problem by not going to training."

Broos made it clear that participation in training remains a non-negotiable obligation for professional players, regardless of off-field disputes. As Mudau prepares to return to training, it marks a potentially significant turning point — both for his personal career and for Bafana Bafana’s strategic setup ahead of the qualifiers.

While Mudau remains in Broos' plans, several of his Sundowns teammates — Grant Kekana, Thapelo Morena, Jaden Adams, and Fawaaz Basadien — have not been included in the national setup for varying reasons.

Kekana was ruled out due to injury, and Morena is still recovering from a hamstring issue. But Adams and Basadien, according to Broos, have simply fallen short of the performance standards expected at international level.

“As for Jayden, we’ve discussed him before — he’s simply not at the standard we need right now. The same goes for Fawaaz,” said Broos.“Thapelo just played his first game back with Sundowns after a hamstring issue, so he’s not quite ready either.”

With high-stakes fixtures against Lesotho and Nigeria looming, Broos underlined the need for fitness, form, and commitment, as he aims to assemble a squad capable of keeping South Africa’s World Cup hopes alive.

“Kekana is injured, so he was not ready to be with us,” Broos added, clarifying some of the omissions and offering insight into the evolving dynamics within the squad.

As the national team begins preparations for its most critical phase yet in the qualification journey, resolving Mudau’s situation could provide a timely boost — both on and off the pitch — as Bafana Bafana look to secure their spot on the global stage.