Amidst the fading 2010 sunset, Zebras’ ranking woes persist
Mqondisi Dube | Monday April 6, 2026 06:00
The team, along the way, hit a cul-de-sac and moments of progress have often been met with battles of attrition. At one moment, the Zebras appear genuine contenders capable of reproducing the sparks of the 2010 era which culminated in a first ever Africa Cup of Nations finals appearance.
But the usual demons; a lethargic display, lack of results and often a lack of signature play conspires to halt their revival. Successive coaches have given it a try with varying degrees of success- and failure. There have been moments when the Zebras twice went close to winning the regional COSAFA Cup, in 2016 and 2019 when they reached the final, but then after that the flat displays returned.
The sparkling 2012 period was supposed to be a moment of generation; a moment of a seed that was finally sprouting after long hard days underground.
While the qualification represented a culmination of genuine toil, it also came with its challenges as the Zebras failed to truly kick-on. From number 53 in the world, it has largely been a worrying downward slide in the FIFA rankings.
Often the rankings have been dismissed as not representing the truest picture, but they do matter. For instance, seeding is based on rankings and the Zebras have often suffered as they find themselves in or near the bottom pot.
This always spell doom as the national team is forced to face tougher opponents. The result has been an elusive return to the AFCON finals, until a combination of Morena Ramoreboli and Frenchman, Didier da Rosa Gomes contrived to take the side back to Africa's ultimate national team competition in 2025.
But still, the nation has remain unconvinced that the Zebras are at their best, and the FIFA rankings attest to the fears. The 2010 moment is sliding away from memory as the Zebras struggle to break the shackles.
The 2010 architect was the late Stanley Tshosane who saw the Zebras nominated for the CAF team of the year. Since then the Zebras have slowly limped to a territory so close to their whipping days, although their return to the dark place seems a distance away.
At their worst, the Zebras were ranked 165 in 1999, amongst the worst football nations but gradually the team dug itself out of that hole.
The Zebras are actually closer to their 1992 ranking than they are to their best place rating of 53rd. In 1992, the team was ranked 139th, better than this week's released ranking of 144.
Between 1992 and 1999, the Zebras were on a free-fall as they plummeted to number 165, which remains their worst ranking to date.
Post the late Botswana Football Association (BFA) technical director, Ben Koufie's tenure, the Zebras started to emerge from the cocoon.
At the turn of the millennium, Botswana jumped from 165 to 150 signalling the start of a bright ride to the 53rd 2010 position. It was a period of visible progress which accelerated under the beloved Serbian, Jelusic Veselin who made the Zebras brand fashionable. It was during his era around 2005 that the Zebras became an unshakable institution that touched every corner of the country as new heroes were born.
The impetus did not slow down despite the departure of Veselin in 2006 as Tshosane took the baton with aplomb, resulting in the 2012 AFCON finals moment.
With the AFCON qualification euphoria still heavy on a nation that expected rapid acceleration post 2012, the results were mixed, although the Zebras showed signs of genuine revival under Briton, Peter Butler, who took the team to number 86 in 2016.
Then the Zebras fast accelerated out of the top 100 in 2017, and they have never bounced back.
Between 2016 and 2017, the Zebras crushed from number 112 to 150, and they have more or less hovered around the same placing in the last decade. Their best ranking in the last 10 years, has been position 136 achieved in 2024, hardly a number indicating decisive progress.
This week, Zebras coach, Ramoreboli urged calm (and certainly restraint), indicating patience was needed as he works around to stitch together a brand that has been left battered over the years. Zebras rankings since 2017 (Year-on-year) 2026- 146 (March) 2025- 138 2024- 136 2023- 145 2022- 149 2021- 148 2020- 146 2019- 148 2018- 145 2017- 150