Broos sticks with SA
Hugo Broos has told his Bafana Bafana players that he has no plans to leave his role as head coach of South Africa.
The official Twitter account for Bafana Bafana put out a video yesterday that showed Broos speaking to his squad after they had played to a 3-3 draw with Algeria in a thrilling international friendly at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers.
“What you have heard and what you have read, there is nothing,” Broos tells his players.
“And why should I leave such a good team as you?,” he adds, to rapturous applause.
A media report from Tunisia this week claimed that Broos was “very close” to reaching an agreement with the Tunisian Football Federation to take over as head coach. Other reports in Belgium have said the 71-year-old has been in talks with Club Brugge to take over as technical director.
But Broos has repeatedly denied the rumours, and these words confirm that he is set to stay with the side he took to a bronze medal this year at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in the Ivory Coast. It was the first time in 24 years that Bafana had done this well at an Afcon finals.
Bafana showed again that they can be a match for the best in Africa when they held the Desert Foxes on Tuesday in front of their own fans.
Broos’ next task is to qualify the team for the 2026 Fifa World Cup finals, with important qualifiers coming up in June away to Nigeria and at home to Zimbabwe.
Broos’ current contract with Safa runs up to 2026, and it seems highly unlikely he will leave unless something goes badly wrong in World Cup qualifying, or 2025 Afcon qualifying.
The coach saw Bafana Bafana’s 3-3 friendly draw with Algeria in Algiers on Tuesday night as further proof that the side can compete with any team on the continent.
In front of a vociferous home crowd at the Nelson Mandela Stadium, Bafana continued to play the slick passing football that earned them many admirers at this year’s Afcon.
In a pulsating game, Themba Zwane scored twice, including a wonderful curled finish, and so did Yassine Benzia for Algeria, adding a superb overhead kick to the mix in a six-goal thriller.
“It was a fantastic game from both teams, but the performance of South Africa was really good,” Broos said.
“We played a very strong team and I don’t think there was much difference between the quality of our game and the quality of Algeria.
“That means we have made a lot of progress in the last months. We showed that already at the Afcon, but I think today we did it again, and we don’t have to be afraid of any team in Africa any more.”
That should stand Bafana in good stead for June’s 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
Broos confirmed that certain new faces within the squad had raised their hands in these two friendlies — Bafana also played a 1-1 draw with Andorra last Thursday — for a place in the squad for those vital games in the bid to make it to the USA, Canada and Mexico.
“Without saying names, there were players that convinced me and that will be there in June,” said Broos.
It is safe to say that Elias Mokwana is one that convinced, putting in a great display on top of scoring against Andorra, and then coming off the bench to give a fine cameo against Algeria.
Mokwana’s mazy dribble and shot deflected in off Iqraam Rayners to put Bafana 3-2 up, though the Desert Foxes ultimately sealed a draw with Benzia’s acrobatic strike.
Rayners also may have done enough to get a place in the squad in June, outshining Cape Town City’s Khanyisa Mayo in attack.
“Others didn’t disappoint, but for them maybe it is a bit too early [international football].
“They showed in camp they had qualities, but this level is higher and they still have to adapt a bit,” added Broos. —