AGF's popular winger Gift Links is arguably the best left winger in the Danish Superliga, but he has not played an international match for South Africa for more than four years.
And it doesn't seem like he'll be occupied during future international breaks.
On Thursday morning last week, the coach of the South African national team, Hugo Broos, named his squad for the upcoming friendly against Zambia, and once again Links was left out to the disbelief of his local team-mates, coaches, and pundits in Denmark.
The last time Links was called up was in August 2021, when the 27-year-old featured in the starting lineup against Zimbabwe in a World Cup qualifier but was substituted at halftime.
“Gift Links was not really in the game in the first half, that’s why we changed him,” Broos said afterwards, and hasn't picked the AGF-profile since then.
Nick Said tells Flashscore that Hugo Broos is occasionally asked about leaving Links out, but brushes it off.
"Broos often speaks about picking players with the “right mentality” and has knitted together a group he thinks are going to fight tooth and nail for him and the team, to the point of selecting them over more talented players."
"It has to a degree worked for him in terms of securing third place at the last AFCON, another AFCON qualification in 2025, and the 2026 World Cup qualification, so there is no pressure on Broos to look outside of his current group", says Nick Said.
Gift Links has started in all of AGF's 14 Superliga matches this season, and also the two cup wins against Hillerod and Sonderjyske, but even though the lightning-fast South African has been a regular in the starting lineup in all matches for head coach Jakob Poulsen, there is no prospect of him getting playing time in the national team.
"I am sure if they were losing games, it would be a different story, but for now, Broos seems happy to go with the players who have gotten him this far."
"It has been the same for others over the years; if he does not rate a player, then their current form does not seem to matter. Broos has made up his mind. Many South African football fans would like to see Gift called up, and he is in the conversation for them, but it is also hard to criticize Broos too much because he has delivered results", says Nick Said.
"Left wing is also not a problem position for Broos; he has several decent options there. Players in front of Links right now are Oswin Appollis and Relebohile Mofokeng, both of whom play for Orlando Pirates. Mofokeng has been injured, so for the Zambia game coming up, Broos has called up yet another Pirates player in Tshepang Moremi. All three can also play as ‘10s’ if pushed."
South Africa will face Zambia at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 15 November, but Gift Links will have to wait until 21 November to get in action when AGF face Silkeborg away.