Mothobi Mvala: Bafana Bafana players who were with us in Ivory Coast for Afcon 2023 know that we agreed to win this year's Africa Cup of Nations

Mothobi Mvala is watching the Africa Cup of Nations hoping Bafana Bafana team-mates fulfil their ambition.

That ambition is the pact they made together with previous squad members of the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

And that goal was agreed to be to win this year's 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco, Mvala – former Highlands Park midfielder – revealed.

Bafana are in North Africa for the continental showpiece as favourites to win the tournament having finished third in the previous edition.

The Mamelodi Sundowns defender has been one of Hugo Broos’ trusted men but missed out on a potential Afcon call-up through injury.

“Unfortunately, now I am not there because of the injury,” Mvala said on the Mamelodi Sundowns TV podcast. “As much as I wanted to be there, but God decided otherwise. I just wish the boys the best of luck. I know they’re going to make the country proud.

“After the last game against Nigeria in the AFCON 2023 semi-finals loss, we discussed our fate next time. We said we would come back and take this thing.

“These things happen [injuries], they can happen to anyone, so you just have to accept it and focus on your rehab. So far, I’ve seen progression. My focus is on my rehab to get better.

“I don’t want to stress myself or ask why this happened to me. When things were going well before, I didn’t question God, so I apply the same now.

“The best feeling is that I was there to help the team in the qualifying. I played a couple of games and contributed. Now my main focus is to heal and hopefully make it for the World Cup.”