Hugo Broos: Winning Afcon wasn’t enough

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos revisits the tumultuous end to his reign as Cameroon’s head coach. Despite leading the Indomitable Lions to a surprise Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) victory in 2017, Broos faced serious allegations and his time with the team ended in discord.

Broos and Cameroon: A Tumultuous Tenure

Broos sees parallels between the challenges he faced in Cameroon and his current role leading South Africa. Bafana Bafana’s strong showing at the recent Afcon, coupled with their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, has placed the coach under a renewed spotlight. His past experiences fuel his resolve.

“It’s a bit similar to the situation in Cameroon. You won it [Afcon] and then played for the World Cup,” Broos said.

However, the Cameroon chapter of his career was marred by controversy. He faced televised accusations of demanding bribes from players in exchange for national team selection.

“I was in the hotel with the staff… and there was a sports programme [on TV]”, recalls Broos. “There were two guests, and one of them said, ‘I know the coach, team manager and team doctor asked for money for players to be in the national team’.”

Broos Fights Back, But the Damage is Done

Despite court action against his accuser, Broos felt the damage was done to his reputation with the Cameroonian Football Federation. His contract was not renewed.

“From then on, I could deny it but I could see they didn’t believe me. So it went bad,” Broos reflects.

South Africa’s Success

While acknowledging the challenges in Cameroon, Broos remains determined to lead South Africa to success. The team’s crucial World Cup qualifying matches against Nigeria and Zimbabwe in June represent a key opportunity for him to guide Bafana Bafana toward greater heights.

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