Mamelodi Sundowns has contributed ten players in the current Bafana Bafana Africa Cup of Nations squad while Kaizer Chiefs has none. KickOff tracks the rise of the Brazilians dominance in Bafana's AFCON squads in place of Chiefs in the last decade.
The revival of Sundowns as a powerful force in South African football is well documented, with the appointment of former coach Pitso Mosimane in 2012 heralded as a turning point to their current success.
There is a correlation between a team's struggles in the league with representation in the Bafana Bafana squad, as starting from at least the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations squad, Sundowns only had two representatives, in goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands and Katlego Mphela, after Mosimane joined the team outside the top half of the table and they finished tenth in the 2012/13 campaign, 18 points behind champions Amakhosi.
As the in-form team of ahead of the 2013 Afcon, the Glamour Boys players dominated former coach Gordon Igesund squad, with seven representatives, in goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, Siboniso Gaxa, Tsepo Masilela, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Lehlohonolo Majoro and Bernard Parker.
From South African big clubs' perspective, Orlando Pirates had four players in that squad, in the late, goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa, Thabo Matlaba, Siyabonga Sangweni and Oupa Manyisa.
Bafana's 2015 Afcon squad was also dominated by Chiefs players under Ephraim 'Shakes' Mashaba, as they had five representatives, goalkeeper Brilliant Khuzwayo, Eric Mathoho, Letsholonyane, Mandla Masango and Parker compared to Sundowns' two once again, in Bongani Zungu and Themba Zwane, despite the Brazilians winning their first league title under Mosimane in the 2013/14 campaign.
Pirates had three representatives in Thabo Matlaba, Patrick Phungwayo and Oupa Manyisa.
However, Bafana did not qualify for the 2017 Afcon in Gabon and after qualifying for the 2019 continental showpiece, Sundowns had already started to make their mark in the PSL, with two league titles compared to Chiefs' one since the 2015 Afcon.
And as a result, Masandawana had the most representatives in Bafana squad at the biennial tournament under Stuart Baxter in 2019, with five players, Hlompho Kekana, Tiyani Mabunda, Zwane, Lebohang Maboe and Sibusiso Vilakazi while Amakhosi's quota dwindled, with only three representatives in goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma, Daniel Cardoso and Ramahlwe Mphahlele.
The Buccaneers, meanwhile, had only two players in Baxter's 23-man squad in Thembinkosi Lorch and Innocent Maela.
Since then, the Tshwane giants had a stranglehold of South African football but unfortunately Bafana did not qualify for the 2021 continental showpiece.
Amakhosi's woes of not having won a trophy in eight-and-half years has seen them without any representation in Bafana Afcon squad, with Pirates having four players currently.
