Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has come out in support of defender Nkosinathi Sibisi, following the social media backlash directed at the Orlando Pirates captain.
Sibisi came under fire after missing a crucial spot-kick in the 5-4 shootout loss to Casric Stars during last month’s Nedbank Cup Round of 16. The exit followed a gruelling 120 minutes of football that ended in a goalless stalemate.
And sub-par performances have fueled speculation that the defender is carrying an injury, though Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou downplayed those concerns most recently.
The Buccaneers skipper is part of the final Bafana’s 23-man squad set to face Panama in two friendly encounters later this month as part of their preparations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The first match will take place on 27 March at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, followed by a second clash at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on 31 March.
‘IT’S THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING YOU CAN IMAGINE’: HUGO BROOS
Broos—known for his candid and often blunt nature—has wasted no time in shielding his player, labelling the criticism as “ridiculous.”
The Belgian mentor was quick to point out that even the best in the world can miss penalties, drawing a comparison to Bafana Bafana’s 2023 historic AFCON shootout victory against Cape Verde.
Broos went on to question the fundamental understanding of the game held by those leading the online attacks. He emphasised that the act of stepping up to the spot outweighs the outcome of the kick itself.
“You know, being under pressure because you missed a penalty is the most ridiculous thing you can imagine. I mean, he took his responsibility as the captain of Pirates to take the penalty,” said Broos.
“Okay, he missed it. He is not the first player to miss a penalty. Cape Verde missed five times against us. So, it was really ridiculous, and that shows again that social media is trash, it’s just trash.
“When you put someone under pressure and criticise him because he missed a penalty, then you don’t know anything about football.”
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