Bafana boss Hugo Broos clears air on Iqraam Rayners' AFCON snub

The coach revealed that the forward's omission was largely due to health concerns at the time of selection.

Rayners, one of the Betway Premiership's most consistent South African goal scorers, was widely expected to be part of the continental tournament squad.

His exclusion, however, raised eyebrows, especially given his form for Sundowns and the fact that Bafana went into the AFCON with only two recognised number nines in Evidence Makgopa and Lyle Foster, while Shandre Campbell was used as a forward option.

Broos, speaking on Radio 947, explained that the former Stellenbosch FC striker had recently dealt with a health setback that disrupted his preparation ahead of the tournament.

"Iqraam had a health problem, so we couldn't call him for AFCON at that moment," Broos said, adding that player availability and match fitness remain key factors in his selection process.

The Belgian coach also used the opportunity to highlight a broader concern around South African players losing game-time at club level, a situation he believes complicates national team planning.

"It's always a fact that players have to play, and sometimes I'm surprised to see players who suddenly don't play anymore at their clubs," he said.

"They are on the bench, or they are not even on the bench anymore, they're in the stands. I then say 'What happened?'"

Broos singled out Evidence Makgopa as an example, noting his reduced minutes at Orlando Pirates: "That makes my job difficult, certainly when you go to the World Cup and you take a player who has not played for months, you have a problem."

Despite his AFCON absence, Rayners has continued to impress domestically, scoring 11 goals in 22 league matches and remaining firmly in contention for the Betway Premiership Golden Boot.