AFCON: Why Zimbabwe’s Marinica is envious of Bafana Bafana’s core

Following Zimbabwe’s exit from the 2025 AFCON group stages, head coach Marian Marinica has pointed to Bafana Bafana’s “home-grown” strategy as the blueprint for the Warriors’ future.

Despite a squad featuring talent from the English leagues, Zimbabwe struggled for the same cohesion that propelled Bafana Bafana into the knockout rounds.

The Romanian tactician believes the secret to South Africa’s resilience lies in the synergy of the Premier Soccer League (PSL), specifically the dominance of Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.

Bafana: The Power of Club Synergies Shown at AFCON

Marinica observed that Hugo Broos’ success is built on a foundation of players who compete together year-round at the highest level of African club football. At the 2023 AFCON, Broos relied on ten Sundowns players to secure a bronze medal. In the current 2025 edition in Morocco, he maintained that philosophy by leaning heavily on nine Orlando Pirates stars and five from Sundowns.

“If you look at South Africa, they have players coming from the local leagues who are regularly playing very high in the CAF Champions League,” Marinica noted. “They are a very strong team because of that. Can we also get this type of player in our local leagues?”

Zimbabwean football has traditionally been an exporter of talent, with many of its top stars moving to South Africa, Tanzania, or Europe. Marinica, however, is advocating for a radical shift in the domestic league’s philosophy.

He suggests that for the Warriors to find the “Bafana spark,” the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League must transition into an “importing country” of talent. By bringing in high-quality foreign players to raise domestic standards, Marinica believes local players will be better prepared for the intensity of international tournaments like AFCON.

Looking Toward the Global Stage After AFCON Exit

While the Warriors reflect on their group-stage exit—sealed by a narrow 3-2 loss to Bafana Bafana in their final pool match—South Africa’s focus has already shifted.

The “locally-powered” Bafana squad is set to test its domestic-heavy core on the grandest stage of all. Having topped their qualifying group ahead of Nigeria, South Africa has secured automatic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they are slated to face co-hosts Mexico and the Republic of Korea in Group A.

For Marinica, the contrast is clear: until Zimbabwe can replicate the competitive environment and club-level cohesion of their neighbours, the gap between the two nations may continue to widen.