Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef has made a compelling case for several Amakhosi players to receive Bafana Bafana call-ups as the FIFA World Cup approaches. Despite Kaizer Chiefs' strong performances this season, the club has been notably absent from recent national team selections, with no players included in Bafana squads for the last two major tournaments. Ben Youssef believes this drought should end, particularly highlighting goalkeeper Brandon Petersen, whose injury ruled him out of contention for the Panama friendly in March. However, Petersen's Man of the Match performance in the recent Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates served as a reminder of his quality and credentials.
Beyond Petersen, Ben Youssef insists that multiple Chiefs players deserve consideration for the national team. "I think it's not only Petersen who deserves a Bafana call-up. We have four or five players putting pressure on the coach, and I feel for him because it will be a tough decision," the co-coach explained. He specifically named Petersen, Cross, Maboe, and Monyane as deserving candidates, emphasizing that their selections would be based purely on merit rather than favoritism.
With Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos reportedly having settled on approximately 70% of his World Cup squad, the window for Chiefs players to force their way into the final selection appears to be narrowing. Nevertheless, Ben Youssef remains adamant that it is time for Kaizer Chiefs' talent to be recognized at the national level, ending their recent exclusion from the international setup.