Legendary South African defender Lucas Radebe has insisted that fans need to be realistic about the team’s chances as there are ‘stronger teams’ than Bafana Bafana at Afcon 2019.

The South African national side will return to the international stage for the first time since the 2015 Afcon after failing to qualify for the 2017 edition and the 2018 Fifa World Cup.

Stuart Baxter’s men were drawn alongside against Ivory Coast, Morocco and Namibia in Group D and will face a stern test if they are to manoeuvre their way into the knockout stages

Radebe who was a part of the 1996 side who won the African Cup of Nations revealed to the SABC that he thinks we should be realistic about Bafana’s chances and that a quarter-final place should be considered a success.

‘We have to be realistic. I think there are stronger teams in the Afcon finals. We will come up against teams which are better than us,’ said Radebe.

‘So, how far will we go? It is a good question. I think if we reach the quarterfinals it would be a great achievement. Anything is possible after that.

‘It has been a bit rough getting to the finals through the qualifiers. Once you get to the finals it does not get easy especially in the group stage. We are in a really tough group. But with the stability and consistency in getting the players through the years that will be of great help,” Radebe added.

‘It shows that there is progress. I think we did not qualify by fluke. We worked hard and we deserved to qualify. But it is going to be even tougher because we will be playing against teams which are well-organized and experienced like Morocco,’ he warned.

‘Even a team like Namibia. They have improved a lot down the years. So, we have to up our game. There is also Ivory Coast. They do not come easy, these games,’ concluded the legend of SA football.