Bafana’s Okon believes SA football is going places
'I think we are very much headed in the right direction,' said the 22-year-old Okon
Bafana Bafana defender Ime Okon is optimistic about the future of South African football. The defender, who played all of Bafana's games in the 2027 World Cup finals, attributes the team's success to the achievements of the senior national team and the youth sides. Under new head coach Pitso Mosimane, Bafana secured victories in their first two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Group D qualifiers, defeating Guinea 2-1 and Eritrea 5-0.
The team's triumphs follow a period of success under former head coach Hugo Broos, who guided Bafana to third place at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Okon, who has been a first-choice player under Mosimane, praised the growth of the youth academies in producing top talent. The South African Under-20 team recently won the Cosafa Under-20 Championship for the second consecutive year, and the Under-23 team aims to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games.
Bafana's recent performances have also been reflected in their improved FIFA World Rankings, which have reached as high as 49th - a first since 2008.
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