THE nation’s love affair with the senior national football team, Sihlangu Semnikati is quickly turning into a story of disappointment and lost pride.
Following yet another early exit from the COSAFA Cup, this time at the hands of Tanzania in a 1-2 defeat, Eswatini football supporters have made it abundantly clear that they no longer believe in the team.
While defeats in regional competitions have become almost routine, it is the reaction of fans after Wednesday’s loss that tells the real story.
There was no shock, no heartbreak, instead just a collective shrug of resignation from a fan base that has grown tired of expecting miracles from a team that continues to under deliver.
“We weren’t expecting much, so relax boys,” one supporter commented on social media, his words dripping with sarcasm. Another put it more bluntly: “We are used to it and don’t feel any pain.”
“As usual, heartbreak is nothing new for Sihlangu,” one fan lamented.
The COSAFA Cup used to ignite hope among supporters as it was a chance to compete with regional neighbours, to test Eswatini’s footballing progress.
But now, that hope has been replaced with frustration. The team’s inability to reach the knockout stages yet again only served to deepen the emotional divide between Sihlangu and its people.
Some fans even called for the national team to be scrapped entirely. “Nation’s pride these clowns? We have always said they must scrap the useless national team,” read one of the harsher online comments.
According to fans, what hurt the most is not just the loss but it is that they saw it coming.
The sense of inevitability surrounding Eswatini’s defeats in international football has left a once-proud football nation simply going through the motions.
As Sihlangu return home from another failed COSAFA campaign, they do so to a nation that has not only lost faith in the team, but one that is dangerously close to losing interest altogether.Unless something drastic changes, with some calling for a change in the head coach following his recent stint coaching a Saudi Arabia team, ahead of the regional tournament instead of drilling the team.
Some have questioned player commitment and leadership at the Eswatini Football Association (EFA), saying that the gap between Sihlangu and the nation would continue to widen.
