Selected ahead of Mabasa! Bafana striker reacts to Bafana call up after ‘shameful miss’

Published on by Willis Sob

The 22-year-old Vitesse forward was the surprise inclusion in the Bafana Bafana team that was recently named.

South Africa coach Hugo Broos named his 38-man provisional squad for the back-to-back 2025 Africa Cup of Nations fixture scheduled for the next couple of weeks.

Bafana Bafana will host East Africa's Uganda Cranes at the Orlando Stadium on September 6 in Group K's outing, before a trip to Juba where they will play South Sudan at the Juba Stadium four days later.

Many had anticipated to see Orlando Pirates' towering and bulky striker Tshegofatso Mabasa in the attacking department, but that was not the case.

Who is Simon van Duivenbooden?

However, one name that caught the attention of many fans was 22-year-old Vitesse striker Simon van Duivenbooden.

The lanky forward – with a South African father, received his Mzansi passport recently but claims he was shocked to make Broos' provisional squad.

Simon van Duivenbooden celebrates after scoring for Vitesse against Go Ahead Eagles. Photo: Imago
Simon van Duivenbooden celebrates after scoring for Vitesse against Go Ahead Eagles. Photo: Imago

“Yes, [I’m excited] this means a lot to me and my family, as a little boy you dream of this and now it really happens and that is beautiful,” he told iDiski Times.

“I thought it was a shame that I could not be with the U23s but never managed to get my passport and now we are here [with the senior squad].”

What awaits Van Duivenbooden

It will not be a walk in the park for the forward owing to the competition in the Bafana Bafana's attacking department.

Iqraam Rayners Bafana Bafana
Stanley Nwabali of Nigeria and Iqraam Rayners of South Africa. Photo by Oty Silas Copyright: xShengolpixsx

When fit, as seen in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Pirates striker Evidence Makgopa is the preferred candidate by Broos. However, recently, new Mamelodi Sundowns signing Iqraam Rayners has been in a good form.

The former Stellenbosch striker who scored 15 goals in the Premier Soccer League played the last two games for Bafana and scored a goal.

Burnley forward Lyle Foster has also been included in the squad, and with his quality, Broos might change his mind about Rayners and Makgopa. Van Duivenbooden has no option but to prove he is better than them.

Selected ahead of Mabasa! Bafana striker reacts to Bafana call up after ‘shameful miss’

Willis Sob

Willis Sob is an experienced journalist who has been in the game since 2009, covering major assignments around the continent.
His hunger for African football is unmatched, always getting the best angles and facts to feed the fans and quench their thirst.