‘Chiefs pay my salary’ – Amakhosi star responds to Bafana AFCON snub

Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen has commented on his omission from the Bafana Bafana squad to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Petersen was among Chiefs players who missed out on the final squad unveiled by coach Hugo Broos on December 1, having made the provisional team, despite being the goalkeeper with the highest number of clean sheets in the PSL, having kept nine.

Chiefs players completely missed out on the team with Mduduzi Shabalala among the three standby players who will not be travelling to Morocco when the team departs on Wednesday.

Petersen responds to AFCON snub

Petersen admits being overlooked was tough on him but is taking solace in the fact that he is still highly valued by his club although he hopes to earn a national team call-up in future.

“It is bittersweet? No. At the end of the day, I want to be in the national team to represent my country. But for me, the most important job is at Kaizer Chiefs; they pay my salary, and that is where I work,” said Petersen, who was selected in the Carling All Stars team that lost 2-0 to Orlando Pirates in the Carling Black Label Cup.

“The only thing I can control is my performances at club level. I can’t control what the national coach, Hugo Broos, decides—that is his job.

What next for Chiefs goalkeeper?

“Whether he picks me or not, I can’t complain. As a footballer, you always want to be there, because that is your aim. But my main focus is performing at club level and being the best I can be.”

Petersen has enjoyed a great campaign so far as he is the man trusted between the sticks at Amakhosi after watching Fiacre Ntwari and Bruce Bvuma get ahead of him last season.

The goalkeeper has been pulling off key saves but also benefited from an improved defence in front of him with Chiefs conceding six goals in the PSL, the second best defence after Orlando Pirates, who have let in five.