SAFA president Danny Jordaan has acknowledged the work done by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos following a Bronze medal finish at the AFCON in Ivory Coast.
The Bafana squad landed at O.R Tambo International Airport on Wednesday morning.
The AFCON performances seem to have won back the hearts of South Africans who in the recent past seem to have turned their backs on the team given the support at the stadiums.
The squad received a hero’s welcome from hundreds of fans led by Sports Minister Zizi Kodwa, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and EFF leader Julius Malema.
HUGO BROOS HAILED AFTER BAFANA BAFANA AFCON THIRD-PLACE FINISH
Speaking at the welcome event held outside the arrival gates at the airport, Jordaan acknowledged the work done by the Belgian mentor.
“This team produced by our coach Hugo Broos is a new team. We want to pay tribute to this man sitting here, Hugo Broos,” said Jordaan.
“He won the AFCON with Cameroon. We asked him to do the same for South Africa. When he started building a new team we came very close coach, very close.
“It was a penalty shootout, that’s how close we came to making it to the Final and if we had gone there [to the final] we would have won it. So Coach Broos, thank you very much,” added Jordaan.
“We want to thank all those who came. This is a scene that we have never had for football, it’s just amazing. The red flags we acknowledge you.”
DANNY JORDAAN PROUD OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN PLAYERS WHO WERE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED BY CAF
The SAFA president also acknowledged having Bafana Bafana players in the AFCON best 11 team.
“Ronwen Williams is the best goalkeeper on the African continent. He is the CAF best 11 and in that best 11, he is the captain of the side.
“We have other two players in the best 11, Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau. South Africa had three players, the highest number of players of any country on the continent. So we want to pay tribute to them,” he said.
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