Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund has selected what he feels is his "dream team" for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
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Click here to view the 23-man Bafana squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking at the official unveiling of his 23-man AFCON 2013 squad, the former Moroka Swallows boss admitted he had many sleepless nights prior to Sunday's announcement.
But at the same time, Igesund insisted he had chosen the best players for the continental showpiece - to make the country proud.
He said: "This is a dream team. This is an outstanding team, very well balanced and the team gives me options at any moment in a game to change to a plan B or plan C.
"The players that I have selected have shown me that they are hungry to play and also I must add, even the players that I have left out, it has been the most difficult part."
A number of talented and in-form players have been omitted from the squad, including Andile Jali, Sifiso Myeni, Teko Modise and Daine Klate.
Igesund added: "There are so many players that are just fantastic players, but unfortunately I had to leave some players out.
"We had sleepless nights. The line between being in the team and being out of the team was so small, there were so many magnificent players.
"It is a very experienced team, I've gone for youth, I've got 10 players in the squad that are 25 years and younger and I've also got some players that have many caps for South Africa.
"When you select a team, you need to know what you are selecting the team for," he explained. "I am selecting this team because we have three teams (Angola, Cape Verde and Morocco) that we have to play in the first round.
"Based on what those teams are capable of doing, where we are going to counter them, where I think that we can be strong and I picked a team not only based on the opposition, but one that is very well balanced."
He concluded: "Our preparations are really going to start now. Up until now we have mixed and shuffled the team around.
"We made six substitutions in each [friendly] game, the players never really gelled together, but from January 2, I'll have all 23 players.
"I believe I have selected the cream of the crop in South African football at this point in time."
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