Bafana 1996 AFCON hero Mark Williams identifies similar traits in current squad

ALMOST THREE decades have passed since Bafana Bafana reached the summit of African football, yet for Mark Williams – a hero of the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations triumph - the memories still echo powerfully whenever he steps into the FNB Stadium.

“It was all 29 years ago, which next (2026) will be 30 years ago,” he reflects, almost in disbelief at how time has marched on.

We are at the national soccer stadium, venue of that glorious Saturday afternoon when Williams came off the bench to send South Africa into delirium. The stadium has since undergone a facelift from back then to become a magnificent calabash of sorts, yet the memories in Williams’ mind remain as fresh as ever.

Of course, the nostalgia is not where his mind lingers. Instead, Williams remains fixated on one thing: the hope that the current generation of Bafana players can finally reclaim the glory that made them continental kings.

And if anyone understands what it takes, it is Williams - the man who scored the two goals that secured the 1996 title. It is why he speaks with both authority and emotion when he says, “I would like to believe, while I’m still alive, that they can win it. And this is the opportunity.”

For years, Bafana Bafana languished in inconsistency, unable to produce the kind of performances that once united a nation. But Williams sees something stirring again - something familiar.“There’s a bit of excitement around the camp,” he notes. “People know the players… there’s a bit of interest in the Bafana team.”

It may seem small, but for a national team long starved of public enthusiasm, this shift is significant. The return of Castle as a partner, he says, signals something symbolic - a reconnection with the era that transformed Bafana into continental champions.

But excitement alone does not win tournaments. What matters, Williams insists, is the sense of unity and responsibility passed down from one generation to the next.

“The legends have won it, and given that baton over to them, saying: ‘Guys, it’s in your hands.’”

Williams believes the current squad is being built with the same patience and understanding that characterised the 1996 team. Much credit, he says, goes to coach Hugo Broos.

“He knows the mentality of the players,” Williams explains. “He’s been with the team long. He knows what players to play.”

It echoes the philosophy of Clive Barker, the man who led Bafana to glory in 1996. Barker trusted not only his starting XI but every player on the bench - each one prepared; each one clear about their role. Williams hopes Broos embraces that same belief.

He challenges Broos to make bold decisions: “Sometimes coaches need to take a gamble on young players… give them a taste of what it is. What if the player becomes a player of the game?”

South Africa’s group - Angola, Egypt, Zimbabwe- reminds Williams of the challenges the class of ’96 overcame. Bafana began their title-winning campaign against a bruising Cameroon side.

“They just came out of the World Cup… and we beat them 3–1,” he recalls with a smile, remembering the celebration that followed the opening goal he netted against Angola later in the group.

But Angola remains a concern today.

“They are a physical team… Can our players take the pressure? If we can compete physically, we can go through.”

Egypt, he warns, will always be a formidable opponent - the continent’s most decorated team. Progressing through the group stage will require grit, discipline, and a level of tactical awareness that has eluded previous Bafana squads.

Williams does not shy away from speaking about Bafana’s decline after 1996. From 2006 onward, results dipped, qualifying failures mounted, and the team seemed adrift.

What went wrong?

“For me, the mistake was that we took out a lot of experience,” he says bluntly. “Not giving the experience enough time to bring these youngsters up.”

Chopping and changing players as well as coaches, he argues, disrupted stability and made it impossible to build a cohesive national identity - something Broos has finally begun to restore.

The Belgian’s continuity, understanding of his squad, and clarity of selection remind Williams of the foundations Barker laid.

“He knows the players, and he’s getting the best out of them.”

As a striker whose name is etched into Bafana folklore, Williams naturally turns his attention to the current crop of forwards.

Playing with a lone striker, he warns, is a difficult system - one he believes must be supported by brave decision-making in the final third.

“I want to see them be greedy when they get into the box,” he says. “Don’t pass the ball if you have a good opportunity to hit the target.”

His point is simple: goals win tournaments. Bafana’s attackers, he says, must believe they can be “nation builders” - the players who will define this generation.

Williams is careful not to make bold predictions, but he is clear about one thing: the opportunity is there.

“I’m not saying we can win it, but getting out of the group stage is very important,” he stresses. “Once you go through and the knockout stages come… it’s here for the taking.”

He emphasises the importance of having a Plan B - an alternative tactical approach that can make the difference in tight games. Many African teams are now familiar with Bafana’s style, he says. Adaptability will be crucial.

For Williams, the journey of Bafana Bafana has always been about more than football. It is a story of belief- of a nation daring to dream at a time when unity was still fragile.

His message to the current squad carries that same spirit:

“Keep dreaming… enjoy yourself. Give us 100% and all of South Africa will be supporting you.”

It’s a reminder that the heroes of 1996 are not watching from a distance. They are standing behind this team, offering not only their blessing but their belief.

And if Mark Williams - whose goals once brought a country to its feet - believes this team can rise again, perhaps it is time for South Africa to believe with him.