Bafana legend Lucas Radebe disagrees with Broos over Lorch – ‘He is one of our greats’

Bafana Bafana legend Lucas Radebe has disagreed with coach Hugo Broos over his assessment of Thembinkosi Lorch.

Broos made it clear last week that Lorch has no place in his team even with his current good form for Moroccan giants Wydad Athletic Club, which has seen him score five goals and weigh in with three assists, in nine games.

The former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns forward was on target yet again on Sunday, four days after Broos said he finds him ‘old’ and not suitable to his squad but former Bafana Bafana captain Radebe thinks differently.

Radebe has termed Lorch one of South Africa’s ‘greats’ who should be among the first names in the national team but urged the 32-year-old to keep doing his talking on the pitch.

Radebe would like to see ‘great’ Lorch in Bafana

“As a player, you want to be at the best level you can be,” Radebe said on the sidelines of the Africa Cup of Nations trophy tour in the country. “You want to represent your country at the highest level but it is not up to you.”

“It is up to you to keep yourself fit and keep yourself in that level where you know that there is that possibility [to earn a call-up] but football for the fact that his name is mentioned…He is one of our greats and I would like to see the best representation of Bafana Bafana,” Radebe further said.

𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐞: 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐈𝐬 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭🇿🇦

Former Great Lucas Radebe says on-form playmaker Thembinkosi Lorch must focus on himself

Adding, he is the greatest players we have at the moment 🇿🇦#BafanaBafana #Lorch #HugoBroos 🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/1EwwkPAOV5

— Karabo Selebalo Phasha (@TheeSportsGuy01) November 10, 2025

The 1996 Africa Cup of Nations winner’s sentiments will further generate debate over Lorch’s exclusion from the national team but Broos was clear in his assessment of the player last Thursday.

Broos made it clear Nyoso is not in his plans

“You have to make choices. Lorch was once with us, I think two years ago when we played in Morocco and he was playing very good at Pirates at that moment,” said Broos.

“His performance was not good. Then I followed him, he played, then he didn’t play. At Pirates he dropped out of the team and then he went to Sundowns because Rulani [Mokoena] wanted him.

“But after a few months he didn’t play anymore. Ok, now he’s playing good in Morocco, but you also have to look at his age. This is not the future, I’m very sorry, this is not the future.”

Given Broos’ tendency not to budge when he makes a decision, it seems that the Bafana door is completely locked for Lorch, who will have to wait until the 73-year-old leaves his role after the 2026 World Cup.