Benni McCarthy Questions Whether Ego Denied Two Bafana Bafana Stars Their World Cup Dream

• Benni McCarthy has raised uncomfortable questions about how World Cup dreams can be won or lost
• Two in-form Bafana Bafana hopefuls were left out, and the reasons remain a talking point ahead of the tournament
• A comment about "pride and ego" has put the spotlight firmly on South Africa's World Cup selections

South African football legend Benni McCarthy has questioned whether "pride and ego" may have denied two in-form Bafana Bafana stars the chance to live out their World Cup dream.

Just days before South Africa's opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Mexico on 11 June, McCarthy expressed sympathy for players he believes did enough to earn selection.

However, those players were ultimately left out of Hugo Broos' final squad. The former Bafana Bafana striker and current Kenya head coach singled out Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen and Danish league winner Gift Links.

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McCarthy believes both players had strong cases for inclusion in the squad. He suggested their performances during the season warranted greater consideration.

Bafana Bafana selection debate heats up

McCarthy said he would have approached some of the selections differently if he were in charge of the national team.

Soccer Laduma reports that while speaking to SportyTV, he highlighted Petersen as one of the biggest omissions.

"There are a couple of names that I would have selected," McCarthy said.

"If I were in the position, I think I would have gone a different route, especially with the Brandon Petersen case.

"With the season that Kaizer Chiefs had, he's really been phenomenal; he's been really an outstanding performer."

The former Porto and Blackburn Rovers striker said he felt for players who had produced excellent performances throughout the season, only to miss out on football's biggest tournament.

Gift Links omission raises questions

McCarthy also questioned the absence of Gift Links from the World Cup squad. The winger enjoyed an impressive campaign in Denmark, helping his club win the Danish Superliga title while also earning a place in the league's Team of the Season.

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McCarthy suggested that such achievements should have counted heavily in the selection process.

"And then the exclusion of somebody that... I don't know what the situation is like there, Gift Links, you win the league in Denmark," he said.

"That's one of the toughest leagues; it's one of the European leagues. And for the first time, other than myself, that's won a league in a European country, he's gone and done it."

McCarthy urges merit-based selections

While discussing the controversial omissions, McCarthy raised the possibility that personal preferences may have influenced some decisions.

"Does it even come close to mentioning, maybe the coach's preference? But man, at the end of the day, you put your pride and ego aside and reward people on merit," he said.

However, McCarthy also acknowledged the difficult position Broos faced. He noted that many of the selected players had played important roles throughout South Africa's qualification campaign.

"Coach knows what he's done, and I'm no one to question that," McCarthy added.

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As Bafana Bafana prepare for their long-awaited return to the World Cup, debate over the final squad continues. For McCarthy, the biggest concern is not who made the team, but whether deserving players were left to watch from home despite producing some of the finest football of their careers.

Hugo Broos explains why Sundowns stars could be Bafana's World Cup difference

Briefly News also reported that Hugo Broos believes Mamelodi Sundowns players could hold the key to Bafana Bafana's hopes at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Broos believes the strong Sundowns contingent in his squad can influence teammates through their mentality, attitude and ability to handle pressure as South Africa prepares to face some of the world's best teams in North America.

Source: Briefly News