ANALYSIS | Bafana were given a 7% chance. Then the DJ played ‘Don’t stop believin’

Bafana Bafana’s never-say-die attitude helped the team shake off the tag of Group A’s whipping boys to finish second and earn an automatic place in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup for the first time in the country’s history, writes Njabulo Ngidi.

At Monterrey Stadium

“Don’t Stop Believin’,” bellowed American rock band Journey, with their iconic song inside Monterrey Stadium as Bafana Bafana regrouped from the hydration break in the middle of the second half.

The song was played at full blast on the stadium’s powerful speakers ahead of the most important 25 minutes in the history of South African football.

Bafana were leading 1-0 against South Korea after finally finding the back of the net through Thapelo Maseko in their final group-stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“Don’t stop believin’,” the Journey cajoled Bafana.

“Hold on to that feelin’,” the song continued.

The stadium’s DJ seemed to have a soft spot for South Africa in a venue where most of the 51 243 people in attendance were backing South Korea.

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The DJ played some K-Pop tunes to please the Koreans, but South African music and songs directed at Bafana that enjoyed the lion’s share of airplay.

Bafana were energised by the sound of TKZee and Benni McCarthy’s Shibobo when they were warming up.

The song was released ahead of the 1998 World Cup, the year of Bafana’s maiden appearance in the global showpiece.

Only a handful of players in the 26-man squad that coach Hugo Broos took to the World Cup were alive when Shibobo was a hit, which saw the song not have much of an impact on them.

Young Stunna’s Adiwele, which is more up to date with the Bafana players’