Themba Zwane explains what he must do to make Bafana’s World Cup squad

Mamelodi Sundowns captain Themba Zwane has expressed his desire to be part of the Bafana Bafana team to the 2026 World Cup.

Zwane has had a topsy-turvy season so far with injuries conspiring to lock him out of the national team as was the case when he missed the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

However, the 36-year-old has since returned to action although he has been playing sparingly with coach Miguel Cardoso managing his minutes.

Zwane on World Cup plans

So far, Mshishi, has made 12 appearances in 2025-26 but just three have been starts and admits he will have to do a lot more to win the trust of Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.

“I will be going to the World Cup but I still have to work hard obviously to prove to the coach that I want to be part of the national team,” Zwane replied to a child who asked him about his World Cup prospects during a recent visit to the Mamelodi Sundowns Soccer Schools.

Zwane has never been to the World Cup and played little part in Bafana Bafana’s qualifying campaign as a large chunk of the qualifiers was played when he was injured.

Will Mshishi be Broos’ No.10 in Mexico?

Since getting injured in an AFCON 2025 qualifier away to Congo Brazzaville in October 2025, the veteran midfielder has not donned the national team shirt but his quality was badly missed at AFCON 2025.

With coach Hugo Broos opting for Sipho Mbule as his No.10 at AFCON, the Orlando Pirates man did not cover himself in glory in Morocco and there was a feeling that Broos should have taken Zwane as well even if he had just returned from an injury by the time the squad was being named.

It remains to be seen if the ever-green midfielder will do enough to convince Broos that he deserves a spot in the World Cup-bound team.