Nabi expresses pride in Chiefs duo’s Bafana Bafana call-ups

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi has expressed his pride in seeing two of his players, Thabiso Monyane and Mduduzi Shabalala, represent the national team, Bafana Bafana.

He also highlighted the significant work done during the recent FIFA break to prepare his squad for the busy schedule ahead.

Monyane was a late but impactful addition to the Bafana Bafana squad, coming on as a substitute in the 1-1 draw against Nigeria. His appearance brought the national team one step closer to qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While Shabalala was an unused substitute in that match, Nabi has consistently praised the young midfielder’s progression and potential this season.

“It is always an honour to have players from Kaizer Chiefs represent the nation,” Nabi stated. “We are hopeful that in the future, we will have even more players, but that requires a lot of work and sacrifices from the players to be at their best consistently.”

NABI UTILIZING THE FIFA BREAK

With a new and expanded squad, Nabi revealed that the international break provided a crucial opportunity for the team to improve their physical and tactical readiness.

“We have tried to take advantage of this time, this international break, to improve on two key parameters: our physical condition and tactical principles,” he explained.

Nabi confirmed that the team organised a friendly match to ensure every player, including those who have seen less playing time, got valuable minutes on the field. “We had everyone involved to give everyone minutes in the legs, because there are many players who have not had enough time playing,” added the Chiefs coach.

The coach emphasised the importance of this preparation, especially with a packed schedule on the horizon. “We’re heading into a very busy schedule, and we want everyone to be ready when they are going to be needed.”