Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has admitted that making a decision about his future will not be easy, following the conclusion of South Africa’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
The 1996 African champions were knocked out of the global football showpiece at the Round of 32 stage after losing 1-0 to Canada on Sunday. It was a painful exit for Broos’ men after a stoppage-time goal condemned them to the exit door.
Having made history as the first Bafana side to progress past the group stage of a World Cup, they bowed out to the co-hosts. Guiding Bafana to the knockouts was Broos, who has been at the helm since May 2021.
The Belgian has carved out a record as the longest-serving Bafana coach after Clive Barker, who won the 1996 AFCON title. But after leading South Africa to a 2023 AFCON bronze medal and inspiring the team to the World Cup, Broos indicated that he would step down from his role after the tournament staged in North America.
Addressing the media in the wake of Bafana’s World Cup exit—with a squad heavily dominated by Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates stars—the 74-year-old tactician opened up about his future. Despite previously hinting that he might reconsider retirement to take up a technical role within SAFA, the veteran coach has now clarified his next move.
“We will see, we will take the decision in the next [few days]. It was a nice World Cup, and it will not be an easy decision, but saying I stop or go, that I can’t,” said Broos after Sunday’s match.
THE BELGIAN WHO CAN SING THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL ANTHEM
So often has Broos been delivering heartwarming moments in his job. The Belgian can sing South Africa’s national anthem, ‘Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika,’ an emotional rendition of what the country has weathered from apartheid to constitutional democracy.
That might be a reflection of his intimate attachment to the team he has been in charge of for the past five years. This is a man who won the 2017 AFCON with Cameroon and has also worked in Algeria for JS Kabylie and NA Hussein Dey, exposing him to different cultures in Africa.
In an interview with FARPost, South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie wants Broos to remain involved in South African football beyond the World Cup.
“I think for me, we must not just cut Hugo Broos abruptly. He has a lot of football knowledge; he is a master,” McKenzie told this publication. “I just think that Hugo Broos must still be involved, and we must give him honorary citizenship in our country.
…“I think Hugo Broos cannot be lost to our football. He has achieved what no coach has ever achieved in the history of our country. This team has achieved what no national soccer team has ever achieved.”
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