JOHANNESBURG -- South Africa head coach Hugo Broos said on Thursday that a niggling concern over the fitness of his usual first-choice left-back, Aubrey Modiba, played a role in the inclusion of Bradley Cross in Bafana's squad for the FIFA World Cup.
Modiba was injured in the first leg of Mamelodi Sundowns' CAF Champions League final win over AS FAR. Broos does not appear to believe the injury is serious, but called Kaizer Chiefs' Cross up to provide backup for Modiba, along with Samukele Kabini.
Cross was out of the Bafana fold for two and a half years after making the bench in late 2023, then suddenly brought back for the World Cup.
Broos told the media: "We still have a little problem with Modiba, so I have to look at that.
"Normally, there will be no problem for Modiba - but if there is a problem, we only have Kabini on that side, and that was also a reason - not the reason, but also a reason why we took Bradley with."
Cross was the only Chiefs player to make the final squad, with goalkeeper Brandon Petersen, midfielder Lebo Maboe and right-back Thabiso Monyane cut on Wednesday after initially making the preliminary squad.
However, Cross' value to the team goes beyond merely covering for Modiba's injury. In fact, he adds depth in multiple positions. Wingers Thapelo Morena and Mohau Nkota are missing the World Cup through injury, but both are capable of playing at full-back, making it all the more important for Broos to add cover there.
Cross began his career as a centre-back, so he adds cover in that position, where he has occasionally featured even in recent times for Chiefs. His ease on the ball ensures that wherever he plays, he can be an asset at both ends of the pitch.
Cross was one of many Amakhosi who recently departed Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef had suggested should have been getting more recognition from Broos. Even Broos himself admitted that omitting Petersen was motivated more by the goalkeeper's lack of integration with his Bafana Bafana squad, relative to his competitors in between the sticks, than pure football reasons.
All three of the dropped Kaizer Chiefs players can consider themselves unfortunate after strong finishes to the season. However, Broos has made a wise choice in selecting Cross, the player among the Chiefs quartet who can provide him cover where it is most needed.
In fairness, Maboe could have been a valuable addition to the squad in midfield, where the Belgian head coach has struggled to find a stable combination for South Africa. Teboho Mokoena is a clear starter, but his partners in the middle of the park have been chopped and changed in recent months.
The Glamour Boys recently finished third in the South African Premiership in an overall somewhat disappointing season, given the club's historic success, that still provided their best league position in six years.
Bafana Bafana will kick off their campaign against Mexico in Mexico City on June 11 before matches against Czechia in Atlanta on June 18 and South Korea in Guadalupe on June 24 (with kick-off at 3AM SAST on June 25).