Arendse: South Africa Needs New Heroes

Bafana have been likened to the class of 1996 that had won the tournament on home soil at the first time of asking.

Now, the current South Africa team, who many critics had tipped to exit at the group stage, are finally getting credit for their potential and the hard work they have put in under head coach Hugo Broos. 

Former Bafana goalkeeper Andre Arendse, who was in goal in the Afcon triumph in 1996, believes it's time the country creates new heroes and added that the current players do possess some qualities of their generation.

"Perhaps it's time the country needs new heroes, not that I'm discarding the ones of 96 because that will forever stand the test of time," Arendse told Marawa Sports Worldwide. 

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"But there's an exciting era around this squad of players, whether they are playing on the African continent or in a friendly because we've all seen their progress. They are good to watch, I love watching them play. 

"There's something about them that speaks '96 for me and I say that with the experience of winning it and what it took to win it and I've seen glimpses of it," Arendse added. 

With 67 caps during his national team career that began in 1995 and concluded in 2004, Arendse backs the current boys to go all the way and lift the continent's flagship showpiece.

"I'm very confident that they can do it, when you look at the journey that they first and foremost started on and sort of navigated their way through the tournament so far. I think they deserve to go all the way; they really do," Arendse said. 

Standing in Bafana's way on the road to the final is the Super Eagles of Nigeria as the two collide in the semi-finals on Wednesday.