Cross: This has definitely been a long-term goal

Kaizer Chiefs defender Bradley Cross has opened up on making the Bafana Bafana final squad selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

A few months ago, it looked as if the only hope of Chiefs having a representative in the Bafana final squad going to the World Cup would be goalkeeper Brandon Petersen.

READ | Former Bafana keeper coach on what might have cost Petersen

However, there were fresh hopes after four players, including Petersen, Lebohang Maboe and Thabiso Monyane made it into the preliminary squad of 32 players, which was cut to 26 on Wednesday at Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House.

Cross was a surprise inclusion in the final roster, as the only player from Amakhosi selected by head coach Hugo Broos.

The 25-year-old's journey has come full circle, after returning from England, after leaving Newcastle United reserves due to injury in 2020 and two years later earned a contract at Maritzburg United and a season later signed by Golden Arrows, where he initially caught the attention of Broos.

"Firstly, from me, this has definitely been a long-term goal for myself, I made the preliminary squad quite a few times, so I just told myself to work hard and try to prove to the coach that I'm capable and I can prove to him that I can be in the (final) team," Cross told the media.

"Since I was young, in the youth setups and then went overseas, it wasn't easy on that side, there was a lot of competition and my decision to come back to South Africa and my main goal was to get into the Bafana Bafana squad.

"And ever since then I've been working hard, staying focused."

READ | Ngubane: Broos undermines South Africans

The 25-year-old was asked what he made of banter that Chiefs had no players in the national team in recent years.

"Look, I don't focus too much on social media, I'd rather stick to myself and what I can control and like I said before, I just work hard, put my head down and look ahead," Cross said.