Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos is back in South Africa after his post-AFCON break spent in his Belgium homeland.
South African football fans can breathe a sigh of relief as the national team mentor touched down in Mzansi on Monday. Broos’ return comes after a period of speculation following the conclusion of a successful AFCON in February.
Bafana finished third at AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast, also walking away with the Fair Play Award. There were murmurs of uncertainty surrounding the coach’s future with Bafana. However, Broos’ presence in South Africa quashes any rumours of an imminent departure, at least for now.
His arrival suggests a continued commitment to guiding the national team through the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The Belgian is set to meet his technical team this week to finalise a squad for the March international friendlies against Andorra and Tunisia.
The 71-year-old mentor hinted at fresh faces for Bafana’s upcoming matches as the team gears up for the World Cup qualifiers in June. They take on Nigeria on June 3, 2024, away in Uyo and welcome Zimbabwe’s Warriors a week later in the World Cup qualifiers.
WHAT HUGO BROOS SAID ABOUT HIS BAFANA FUTURE
A day after the conclusion of AFCON, the 2017 African champion with Cameroon addressed speculation about his future. While acknowledging the inevitable interest that comes with success, Broos emphasised that these are just rumours. “There’s nothing, really nothing,” he said, shutting down talk of offers from other countries.
He reiterated his commitment to South Africa. “If Hugo Broos is leaving South Africa, then it will be because the Federation decides I leave. That’s all, I’m happy with my job, I’m happy with the team.”
Meanwhile, Broos could consider giving opportunities for new players to impress during the upcoming matches later this month. Bafana’s next match is against Andorra in Algeria on March 21st. On 26 March, they play Algeria.
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