Brandon Petersen Responds to Bafana Bafana AFCON Snub

Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen has addressed his omission from the Bafana Bafana squad set to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco later this month. Petersen leads the clean sheets charts in the Betway Premiership with nine shutouts, one more than Orlando Pirates’ Sipho Chaine, yet he was not included in coach Hugo Broos’ final 25-man squad.

The AFCON tournament kicks off on 21 December, with South Africa set to play their opening match against Angola on 22 December. Despite missing out, Petersen has maintained a professional and measured perspective, emphasizing his focus on club responsibilities.

“It is bittersweet? No. At the end of the day, I want to be in the national team to represent my country. But for me, the most important job is at Kaizer Chiefs; they pay my salary, and that is where I work,” Petersen said during a pre-match press conference ahead of the Carling All-Stars game against Orlando Pirates.

The Amakhosi captain stressed that he can only control his performances at club level. “I can’t control what the national coach, Hugo Broos, decides—that is his job. Whether he picks me or not, I can’t complain. As a footballer, you always want to be there, because that is your aim. But my main focus is performing at club level and being the best I can be,” he added.

Petersen’s form at Chiefs has been impressive this season, earning him a place in the fans’ starting eleven of the Carling All-Stars squad. He featured in the first half of the Carling Cup match, where the All-Stars suffered a 2-0 defeat to Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

The goalkeeper’s response highlights his professionalism and commitment to club duties despite the national team snub. His consistent performances for Kaizer Chiefs continue to make him one of the top goalkeepers in the league, and his focus remains on maintaining high standards between the posts for the remainder of the season.