Rulani Mokwena: Mamelodi Sundowns Coach Discusses Yaya Toure and Jay Jay Okocha Praise

• Yaya Toure recently named South Africa as one of AFCON 2023 favourites
• Mamelodi Sundowns has reacted to those remarks
• He also spoke about talks that Sundowns play a major role for Bafana Bafana

South Africa are ramping up their preparations for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, set to start in less than two weeks.

Bafana Bafana were dubbed favourites by Cote d'Ivoire legend Yaya Toure and Mamelodi Sundowns boss Rulani Mokwena has responded to those remarks.

Last month, the former Manchester City and Barcelona midfielder was named one of the favourites for the 34th edition of AFCON.

He included South Africa, Senegal, Morocco, Guinea-Bissau, as well as his country, which hosts Cote d'Ivoire. This was a bold prediction, and South Africans were not sure what to think about his prediction.

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"If I had to pick teams I think are favourites, I’d say Senegal, Morocco, Guinea-Bissau and South Africa. Their record in the qualifiers was impressive.”

Sundowns received praise in the last few years for their performances domestically and in Africa. Okocha also lauded Sundowns last year, according to Mokwena.

Mokwena responds to Okocha, Toure

Mokwena led Sundowns to victory in the inaugural African Football League late last year. He welcomed the praise for his team. 11 Sundowns players have been called up for AFCON.

“I’m humbled by that, there’s a lot of talk about [Bafana being favourites because of Sundowns’ success]. After the AFL, Jay-Jay Okocha spoke to me, a very nice guy who I was privileged to meet when I was doing analysis in studio,” via iDiski Times.

“But there are people who still doubt this team and question their level of performance, still talk negatively about them – it’s okay, one thing I’ve accepted."

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South Africa, winners of the competition in 1996 are in Group E alongside Mali, Tunisia and Namibia. Hugo Broos's side kick off their AFCON tournament against Mali on January 16, per Far Post.

The 2023 edition will be Bafana Bafana's 11th tournament.

The latest best run in the tournament came in the 2019 edition in Egypt, where they made it to the last eight but were knocked out by Nigeria.

Yaya Toure calls South Africa AFCON favourites

Sports Brief earlier reported that Ivory Coast and Manchester City legend, Yaya Toure has picked his favourite teams to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 2015 AFCON winner surprisingly ignored his own country while listing the nations he believes can win the tournament in Ivory Coast.

Toure cited qualification form as the reason for his selection, with Senegal and Guinea Bissau part of the best.