Expectations are high in the country after South Africa knocked out number one-ranked Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations and Bafana Bafana legend Doctor Khumalo has cautioned the players about already thinking about emulating the 1996 generation.
There are hopes that the current Bafana generation can go all the way to claim the second AFCON title after South Africa won the tournament as hosts in 1996.
The high expectations come from the fact that the top five nations, mostly North African giants and previous champions Senegal, are out of the tournament.
Bafana also seemingly have a favourable route to the final, as they are coming up against 14th-ranked African side in Cape Verde, in the quarter-finals, and could meet either Nigeria or Angola in the semi-finals, should they progress.
However, Khumalo has warned Bafana about being over-confident against the Blue Sharks and also said the players don't have to put themselves under pressure about rewriting the history books.
"They don't have to try to compare or try to be something that they are not, beating Morocco, yes it was tough but I think the toughest match is yet to come on Saturday against Cape Verde," Khumalo said on SABC News.
"Because when you play minnows, teams that you think, 'Ah, they don't have big names' and all that, those are the toughest teams you face in this kind of tournament.
"So they don't have to go out there and prove a point. They don't have to go out there to probably say to themselves, 'We just want to erase the '96 history' and all that. They just have to go out there and be themselves, do whatever they've done in the last four games, it was unbelievable and they played as a team," he added.
Bafana's quarter-final clash against Cape Verde is scheduled for Saturday evening at 10pm.
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