Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos. Image: Safa/@bafanabafana/X
WATCH: ‘Why leave a good team like you?’ Broos tells his players
Hugo Broos insists he will remain as Bafana Bafana coach following the team’s 3-3 draw with Algeria on Tuesday.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos. Image: Safa/@bafanabafana/X
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos insist he is staying with the team despite reports linking him to Tunisia.
The 71-year-old has been with the South African national football team since 2021. Last month, Broos guided Bafana to a third-place finish in the Africa Cup of Nations and was the team’s best performance since 2000.
According to Mosaïque FM, Broos was set to dump Bafana for Tunisa. The 2004 Afcon champions sacked their coach following their dismal 2023 campaign at the continental tournament in January and February.
This week, the South African Football Association(Safa) responded to the claims that Broos was vacading his role as Bafana coach.
“The coach answered this very same question during a Zoom press briefing with South African media a couple of days ago, and nothing has changed. We are at training at the match venue as we speak,” SAFA’s head of communications told IOL Sport on Monday.
After Bafana’s 3-3 draw with Algeria, the Belgian coach made it clear to his players that he was staying.
“What you’ve heard or what you’ve read is nothing … (There’s) nothing about it. And even, why should I leave a good team as you?” Broos said.
Broos was pleased with how his team played after Bafana’s FIFA series friendlies. The team played to a 1-1 draw with Andorra followed by an entertaining 3-3 draw with Algeria on Tuesday.
“That means we have progressed. We have shown at the Afcon and today again. I think we don’t have to be afraid of any team in Africa any more,” Broos said after Tuesday’s match
Bafana’s Elias Mokwana came off the bench to play a crucial role in the team’s third goal against the Desert Foxes.
“The team is confident, and that’s what I saw as well at Afcon. It’s a team, both on and off the pitch,” Broos added.
Broos happy with the team after Algeria match
“And that is very important, because there are 23 players in the team, but only 11 can play. You see the guys on the bench who are supportive of the ones playing.
“So, that’s really a good thing because as the coach, you can only be happy. But they’ve also shown on the pitch that they are a team.
“Everyone is doing their job – they have a good mentality, and everyone is good. So again, we made some good progress.”
Broos and his team are in action again in June against Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
