Former Banyana Banyana performance analyst and technical advisor Shilene Booysen, says South Africa must start rebuilding and preparing a squad for the 2027 FIFA World Cup and the next Olympic Games in 2028. 

Nigeria eliminated South Africa, the 2022 WAFCON champions, from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Booysen has advised the technical bench to move on from the past and concentrate on reassembling the team for upcoming competitions.

“Of course it was disappointing to see Banyana Banyana not qualifying for the Olympics, but I think we all need to take into consideration that teams go through stages. 

“They go through slumps, some players were not available or were just coming back from injury and think if they maybe had two or three more weeks in which to prepare for the Nigeria game, I think that would have helped them alot,”

Booysen, nevertheless, thinks this is a chance for the team to find fresh talents to add to the squad.

“But it was disappointing, but I think we shouldn’t see it as a total failure because now it gives an opportunity to rebuild and make sure we have the players to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Womens World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games.

South Africa will take on Senegal on Saturday 1st June in the first friendly match, before winding up their second friendly match on Tuesday 4th June.

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“So, I think this should be seen as an opportunity for growth, an opportunity to test new players and an opportunity to grow new players and develop ones you can use in the 2027 World Cup,” Booysen said.