Fernando Da Cruz Backs Wandile Duba for Future Bafana Bafana Call-Up After Hat-Trick

Kaizer Chiefs forward Wandile Duba has received encouraging praise from head coach Fernando Da Cruz following his impressive hat-trick in the Carling Knockout Cup, with the French tactician suggesting that the young attacker could eventually represent Bafana Bafana if he continues to develop and follow his coach's instructions.

Duba delivered a memorable performance as Amakhosi secured a convincing 3-0 victory over TS Galaxy at FNB Stadium, scoring all three goals to send the Soweto giants into the quarter-finals. His display highlighted his goalscoring ability and strengthened his case for more opportunities in the Chiefs first team.

Speaking after the match, Da Cruz expressed his happiness with Duba's achievement while emphasising that continued hard work, discipline and a willingness to learn will be essential to his development.

"I'm overjoyed for Duba. He needs to keep up his hard work and pay attention to the coach. He can become a Bafana Bafana player if he can keep doing this and pay closer attention to the coach," Da Cruz said.

The coach's comments will provide encouragement to the 22-year-old forward, who has been working to establish himself as an important attacking option at Naturena. His performance against TS Galaxy demonstrated his ability to take advantage of scoring opportunities and deliver when his team needs him.

However, Da Cruz made it clear that one outstanding performance does not automatically guarantee international recognition. Duba will need to maintain his standards, improve his overall game and consistently apply the lessons provided by the technical team.

Competition for places in the Bafana Bafana squad remains strong, meaning the Chiefs youngster must continue producing convincing performances if he hopes to attract the attention of national team selectors.

For now, Duba's immediate responsibility is to build on his hat-trick and help Chiefs achieve their objectives this season.

If he maintains his progress, the opportunity to represent South Africa could become a realistic target in the future. Da Cruz's endorsement underlines the potential he sees in the young attacker, but consistency will ultimately determine how far his career progresses.

Source

https://x.com/Velile_Mnyandu/status/2115164881640960351