# South Africa national under-23 soccer team

The South Africa national under-23 football team is a youth football team, which represents South Africa and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. The team's main objectives are to qualify and play at the All-Africa Games and Olympic Games. The team has played at three All-Africa Games and one Olympic tournament. Players who are selected, will be 23 or younger in the following Olympic year. With the next Olympics being held in London in 2012, players need to have been born on or after 1 January 1989. At the Olympic finals tournament, the team may be supplemented with 3 over-age players.

## History

The team was started in 1994, when SAFA decided to form a youth team. The team has been sponsored by SASOL since its inception, leading to the nickname, 'Amaglug-glug'. The team's greatest achievements to date include a third-place finish at the 1999 All-Africa Games, hosted in South Africa and qualifying for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

## Results and fixtures
### Legend

Win  Draw  Lose  Fixture

### 2021
## Coaching staff
### Manager history

* Jean-Michel d'Avray (1993–1997)
* Ephraim Mashaba (1998–2002)
* Kenneth Kubheka (2002–2004)
* Styles Phumo (2004)
* Steve Komphela (2005)
* Pitso Mosimane / Serame Letsoaka (2005)
* Steve Komphela (2005–2007)
* David Notoane (2019–2021)
* Helman Mkhalele (2021–2022)
* David Notoane (2022-2023)
* Morena Ramoreboli (2024-present)

## Players
### Current squad

* The following players were called up for the 2023 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualification matches.
* Match dates: 23 and 27 March 2023
* Opposition: Congo
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1GK | Ephraim Mothibedi | Unknown | 0 | 0 | All Stars |
| 1GK | Olwethu Mzimela | (2001-04-18) 18 April 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | AmaZulu |
| 1GK | Lincoln Vyver | (2001-03-02) 2 March 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Cape Town Spurs |
| 2DF | Kegan Johannes | (2001-03-31) 31 March 2001 (age 23) | 3 | 0 | SuperSport United |
| 2DF | McBeth Mahlangu | (2001-10-11) 11 October 2001 (age 23) | 1 | 0 | TS Galaxy |
| 2DF | Bradley Cross | (2001-01-30) 30 January 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Maritzburg United |
| 2DF | Rushwin Dortley | (2002-05-02) 2 May 2002 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Cape Town Spurs |
| 2DF | Olwethu Makhanya | (2004-04-30) 30 April 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Stellenbosch |
| 2DF | Athenkosi Mcaba | (2002-01-09) 9 January 2002 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Stellenbosch |
| 3MF | Jayden Adams | (2001-05-05) 5 May 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Stellenbosch |
| 3MF | Oswin Appolis | (2001-08-25) 25 August 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Pretoria Callies |
| 3MF | Ethan Brooks | (2001-11-22) 22 November 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | AmaZulu |
| 3MF | Kegs Chauke | (2003-01-08) 8 January 2003 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Burton Albion |
| 3MF | Thapelo Maseko | (2002-11-11) 11 November 2002 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | SuperSport United |
| 3MF | Siyanda Msani | (2001-08-12) 12 August 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Richards Bay |
| 3MF | Christos Retsos | (2001-05-02) 2 May 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Aris Petroupolis |
| 3MF | Samkelo Zwane | (2002-01-04) 4 January 2002 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Kaizer Chiefs |
| 4FW | Ashley Cupido | (2001-05-05) 5 May 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Cape Town Spurs |
| 4FW | Yanela Mbuthuma | (2002-02-23) 23 February 2002 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Richards Bay |
| 4FW | Boitumelo Radiopane | (2002-01-21) 21 January 2002 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Cape Town Spurs |
| 4FW | Mduduzi Shabalala | (2004-01-20) 20 January 2004 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | Kaizer Chiefs |
| 4FW | Devin Titus | (2001-05-18) 18 May 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Stellenbosch |
| 4FW | Antonio Van Wyk | (2002-03-30) 30 March 2002 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Stellenbosch |

### Recent call-ups

The following players have previously been called up to the South Africa under-23 squad and remain eligible.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
| GK | Bontle Molefe | (2003-01-06) 6 January 2003 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Kaizer Chiefs | v. Togo, 30 October 2022 |
| DF | Keagan Allen | (2001-04-02) 2 April 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Moroka Swallows | v. Togo, 30 October 2022 |
| DF | Wayne Dortley | (2002-05-02) 2 May 2002 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Cape Town Spurs | v. Togo, 30 October 2022 |
| DF | Zuko Mdunyelwa | (2001-06-06) 6 June 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Chippa United | v. Togo, 30 October 2022 |
| DF | Khaya Mfecane | (2001-07-08) 8 July 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Cape Town Spurs | v. Togo, 30 October 2022 |
| DF | Kerwin Peters | (2000-09-02) 2 September 2000 (age 24) | 0 | 0 | All Stars | v. Togo, 30 October 2022 |
| DF | Thabiso Sesane | (2001-05-04) 4 May 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | All Stars | v. Togo, 30 October 2022 |
| MF | Oswin Andries | Unknown | 0 | 0 | Stellenbosch | v. Togo, 30 October 2022 |
| MF | Cassius Mailula | (2001-06-12) 12 June 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Mamelodi Sundowns | v. Togo, 30 October 2022 |
| MF | Azola Matrose | (2003-03-27) 27 March 2003 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | Chippa United | v. Togo, 30 October 2022 |
| FW | Chumani Butsaka | (2001-10-03) 3 October 2001 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Cape Town Spurs | v. Togo, 30 October 2022 |
| FW | Dan Ndlovu | (2002-04-22) 22 April 2002 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Baroka | v. Togo, 30 October 2022 |
| FW | Aphelele Teto | (2003-06-13) 13 June 2003 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | TS Galaxy | v. Togo, 30 October 2022 |

### Notable players

Players who have previously played for the under-23 team, and have since gone on to play for the senior team:
* Emile Baron
* Brian Baloyi
* Matthew Booth
* Delron Buckley
* Rowen Fernández
* Stanton Fredericks
* Quinton Fortune
* David Kannemeyer
* Steve Lekoelea
* Jabu Mahlangu
* Benni McCarthy
* Fabian McCarthy
* Aaron Mokoena
* Toni Nhleko
* Siyabonga Nomvete
* Andile Jali
* Thulani Serero
* Eric Mathoho
* Patrick Mbuthu
* Anathi Ashley Sobekiwe
* Thiyekile Gulwa
* Mzun

### Overage players in Olympic Games

| Tournament | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
| 2000 | Brian Baloyi (GK) | Dumisa Ngobe (MF) | did not select |
| 2016 | Itumeleng Khune (GK) | Eric Mathoho (DF) | did not select |
| 2020 | Ronwen Williams (GK) | did not select | did not select |

## Competitive record
### Olympic Games

Summer Olympics record :
| Hosts/Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA |
| 1992 | Did not enter | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1996 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2000 | Group Stage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| 2004 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2008 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2012 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2016 | Group Stage | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2020 | Group Stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| 2024 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 3/9 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 15 |
* Prior to the 1992 Olympic Games campaign, the Olympic football tournament was open to full senior national teams.

### Africa U-23 Cup of Nations

Africa U-23 Cup of Nations record :
| Hosts/Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA |
| 2011 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 2015 | Third place | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| 2019 | Third place | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 2023 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 3/4 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 16 |

### African Games

African Games record :
| Hosts/Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA |
| 1999 | Third Place | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
| 2003 | Group Stage | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 2007 | Group Stage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 2011 | Runners up | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| 2015 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| Total | 4/5 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 16 | 14 |
    *Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty shootout.