Three-time African champion coach Pitso Mosimane is a free agent and mulling his next move. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)

• Pitso Mosimane revealed that he would like to win the Africa Cup of Nations and lead a team at the FIFA World Cup.  
• The three-time CAF Champions League winning coach all but closed the door on returning to the domestic league set-up in South Africa – and any part of the continent.  
• Jingles says he has received interest from east Asia and North America, but he would love to return to the national team fold.  
• For more sport news, go to the News24 Sport front page. 

Three-time CAF Champions League champion Pitso Mosimane’s next dream job would be one that can give him a chance to win the Africa Cup of Nations and qualify for the FIFA World Cup.

Mosimane is confident that he can guide a national team to the 2026 World Cup now that Africa has nine automatic slots and there’s room for a possible 10th team through an arduous play-offs campaign.  

The 59-year-old coach has been linked with the head coach role for Nigeria who have started the World Cup qualifiers dismally, drawing with Lesotho and Zimbabwe.  

This has seen the current coach, Jose Peseiro, clashing with some members of the Nigeria Football Federation, including one who openly said if the federation had money to pay out the Portuguese coach, they would fire him with immediate effect.   

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Mosimane waxed lyrical about the Super Eagles’ attack. But he also revealed that he is in no rush to secure his next job after parting ways with United Arab Emirates (UAE) side Al Wahda earlier this month.  

Jingles’ immediate priority is to spend Christmas with his family and go on an eight-day holiday following his health scare in the Emirates that saw him hospitalised for four days.

He said he will decide his next move in January next year, and only a “big emergency” would make him sign a contract this year.  

Mosimane explained what he is looking for in a suitable suitor.

“We need to know what the team is like, what do they expect from you, and what is the vision?” Mosimane said at a press conference organised by the South African Football Journalists’ Association on Monday.  

“The vision of the team is important. It’s not about me sending my CV to clubs.

Mosimane revealed that he has received interest from east Asia and North America, while a majority of Kaizer Chiefs’ supporters would like to see him come and rescue the fallen giants.  

But due to his profile and Mosimane insisting that wherever he goes, he will go with his technical team that includes an assistant coach, goalkeeper coach, fitness trainer and video analyst, Chiefs are unlikely to be his next destination.

Amakhosi buckled at the request of former Yanga FC coach Nasreddine Nabi to bring his assistant.  

“When it comes to national teams, I don’t have a problem to be back in the continent,” Mosimane said.

“But, club wise in the continent, it is not going to be that easy.” 

While this statement would crush the spirits of Chiefs fans who saw Mosimane as a person who can save the club, it should be music to the ears of Super Eagles’ supporters with the relationship between Nigeria and Peseiro in a terrible state.  

Nigeria, who are in the same group as Bafana in the World Cup qualifiers, tick most of the boxes that Mosimane is looking for in a national team.

The three-time African champions are a powerhouse on the continent but, of late, haven’t reached their full potential.  

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“To be honest, the one thing I would like to win is the Cup of Nations or go to a World Cup with a team,” said Mosimane.   

“I speak to (Senegal coach Aliou) Cisse and (Morocco coach) Walid (Regragui) who messaged me when I left (the UAE). He said: ‘Coach, come (to the national team fold). We need to see you at the World Cup. You, me and Cisse. The African boys should be at the World Cup. And with nine spaces at the World Cup, there’s no way that you can’t be a part of that.’ I said we will see.  

“To be honest, I still want to do the national team. I don’t choose what comes. But if you say am I interested, I am highly interested. I would like to go to the World Cup and lead a team there. Africa has nine teams guys, really! I think that South Africa will qualify … 

“I want South Africa to qualify because I am South African, but, in reality, Nigeria has the team. But football is not about what is on paper, it is what you can do. This is an open group this one.

“I would like to go to the national team, why not. But it must be a national team where we can compete in the World Cup and not embarrass ourselves.”