Bafana Bafana won the African champions title exactly 25 years ago. As they beat Tunisia 2-0 in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.
While South Africa has produced a number of exciting players since then, it is the class of ’96 that, even to this day, the country still talks about.
The team Clive Barker coached had world-class players such as Doctor Khumalo, Andre Arendse, and the late John ‘Shoes’ Moshoeu among others.
As the country celebrates 25 years since Bafana Bafana’s only major piece of silverware, it is worth looking back at those who took part in the Afcon ’96 final. And it is also essential to know what they have been up to in recent years.
ANDRE ARENDSE
The retired goalkeeper has been with a few PSL clubs since his retirement from football, including Bidvest Wits and Bafana Bafana as part of the technical team. Arendse is currently the goalkeeper coach at SuperSport United. He also doubles as a football pundit for SuperSport TV.
SIZWE MOTAUNG
After what was a tremendous career abroad where he played in the semi-finals of the Uefa Cup with Tenerife, Motaung returned to South Africa. He played for Kaizer Chiefs and later Orlando Pirates. He passed away in 2001. May his soul rest in peace.
MARK FISH
Fish was, until recently, working closely with the Bafana Bafana technical team. But the departure of Stuart Baxter in 2019 saw the former Lazio defender vacate his position. He is now involved in grassroots development programmes through his foundation which hosts several youth tournaments countrywide.
LUCAS RADEBE
The team’s vice-captain was on the books of Leeds United when Bafana Bafana lifted the continental trophy. He is now in the technical committee of the South African Football Association.
NEIL TOVEY
The skipper was recently the country’s technical director. The position he had held for five years between 2015 and 2020. He’s now at his home in Durban as he awaits his next opportunity.
LINDA BUTHELEZI
A very football-opinionated legend! Buthelezi has ventured into business away from football. But he’s still following local teams.
ERIC TINKLER
Tinkler ventured into coaching after retirement. And he has coached some top PSL clubs, including Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United among others. He’s currently without a job following his departure from Maritzburg United.
HELMAN MKHALELE
‘Midnight Express’, as he was famously known, is currently coaching South Africa’s U20 side. And he’s also hands-on at both the SA U23 and SA 17 teams.
DOCTOR KHUMALO
Khumalo recently held a number of positions at both Kaizer Chiefs and Baroka FC. But he’s now doing a lot of football analysis with the SABC.
JOHN MOSHOEU
‘Shoes’ had not retired from playing football at the time of his passing in April 2015. May his soul rest in peace.
PHILEMON MASINGA
Masinga did a lot of ambassadorship with various companies before he passed away in January 2019. May his soul rest in peace.
MARK WILLIAMS
The hero of the 1996 Afcon final with Bafana’s two goals! Williams worked as a striker coach for SuperSport United before focusing mainly on analyzing football on SuperSport TV.
SHAUN BARTLETT
The retired striker has seen his coaching career take the right direction. As he coached at Golden Arrows, AmaTuks, Kaizer Chiefs in recent years. He is now an assistant to Owen Da Gama at TS Galaxy.