Pitso Mosimane has been appointed head coach of Bafana Bafana for a second time, with the South African Football Association confirming the return of one of the continent's most decorated coaches more than a decade after his first spell in charge.

A journey that shaped a legacy

Mosimane's first association with the national team came as assistant to Carlos Alberto Parreira, before he stepped up to the head coach role following the 2010 FIFA World Cup. That tenure delivered mixed results, but what came next transformed his standing in African football entirely.

His time at Mamelodi Sundowns redefined South African club football. He guided Sundowns to five South African Premiership titles and, most memorably, to the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League crown in 2016 — establishing the Pretoria club as a genuine continental power.

The move to Al Ahly elevated him further. At the Cairo giants, Mosimane added two more TotalEnergies CAF Champions League titles — in 2020 and 2021 — and steered the club to three consecutive continental finals. He also claimed the Egyptian Premier League and the Egyptian Cup in the 2019/20 season. The achievements cemented his status as the first African coach to win the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League three times, and earned him the CAF African Coach of the Year award.

Subsequent stints in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran broadened his coaching experience across vastly different football environments, adding further depth to an already formidable résumé.

A trophy cabinet like no other

Mosimane's honours span three TotalEnergies CAF Champions League titles, three TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup wins, five South African Premiership crowns with Mamelodi Sundowns, one Egyptian Premier League title with Al Ahly, and one Saudi First Division championship with Al Ahli Saudi FC in 2022/23. He also collected two FA Cup winner's medals and two League Cup winner's medals with Sundowns.

Immediate focus: AFCON qualification

Mosimane now returns to a Bafana Bafana side with unfinished continental business. His first priority will be steering South Africa through the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with securing a place at the tournament firmly at the top of his agenda.