Nigerian Commentator Claims Bafana Bafana Not Good Enough for Europe as he Singles Out Benni McCarthy

Following Bafana Bafana's premature exit from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, a familiar debate has resurfaced: is South African football producing players capable of competing at the highest level in Europe?

South Africa's campaign for continental glory was cut short in the Round of 16 after a 2-1 loss to the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

Despite a promising start to the tournament, the team could not overcome the Indomitable Lions, marking an early departure from the knockout stages.

The contrast in squad composition was stark. Cameroon boasted players like Manchester United's Bryan Mbeumo and Brighton & Hove Albion's Carlos Baleba.

This has intensified scrutiny on the overall quality of South African footballers when compared to elite international standards.

Nigerian sports journalist and commentator Colin Udoh has weighed in, suggesting that Bafana Bafana's struggles are rooted in a lack of genuine world-class talent.

While South Africa's AFCON squad did include players with European experience, such as Burnley's Lyle Foster and FCSB's Siyabonga Ngezana, Udoh argues these are exceptions rather than the rule.

Even the historic 2024 Yashin Trophy nomination for Mamelodi Sundowns' captain, Ronwen Williams, doesn't alter the broader narrative, in his view.

Speaking on an ESPN podcast, Udoh offered a blunt assessment. "In terms of talent, South African talents are good enough to play at the level of African leagues and their league," he stated. "They're not good enough to play in the top European leagues. You only have a few."

Udoh believes the country has not produced truly elite players for over a decade. "In fact, the last two world-class players South Africa had playing in Europe were Benni McCarthy and Steven Pienaar," he continued. "Outside of that, you don't see many players who are good enough to leave the PSL and go to Europe."

He also commented on the current crop of players, including Premier League striker Lyle Foster. "Lyle Foster is good, but he's a mid-tier player," Udoh explained.

"He's not a player you look at and think, 'Oh he's a striker. I'm going to put him on the same level as Victor Osimhen or Mohamed Salah. You can't do that because he's not. He's just not the same quality."