South Africa exit World Cup with pride despite last-gasp Canada defeat

South Africa’s World Cup 2026 journey ended in heartbreak after conceding a late winner to Canada in their Round of 32 clash at Los Angeles Stadium, but Bafana Bafana leave the tournament with growing respect after a breakthrough campaign.

Stephen Eustaquio struck in the closing moments to seal Canada’s victory, bringing an end to South Africa’s spirited run at their first World Cup finals since 2010.

The African side had already overcome a difficult start to the tournament, recovering from an opening defeat to Mexico before earning a draw with Czechia and defeating Korea Republic to secure qualification for the knockout stage for the first time in their history.

Head coach Hugo Broos admitted his side struggled with the physical demands of the contest but praised their overall progress and mentality throughout the competition.

“It was a difficult game but I knew beforehand because I analysed the opponent. They have power and speed. We hoped we had an answer for that but it was not always the case,” Broos said.

“You saw situations in the game that we could not follow and we lost some of the duels. We have to work on power and speed in South Africa.

“I don’t have complaints about the mentality, but we can look back on this tournament with happiness because we reached the second round. I don’t think anybody expected that before the tournament.”

Despite the disappointment of a late exit, Broos insisted the broader achievement should not be overlooked, with South Africa marking a significant return to the global stage after a 26-year absence.

“It is sore now because we wanted to win. It’s a disappointment and it’s very quiet in the dressing room,” he said. “But we have to be honest, we did very well for our first World Cup in 26 years. We reached the second round.”

Now 74, the veteran coach reflected warmly on the experience, describing the campaign as one of the most rewarding of his career.

“For me, it was a very nice thing to do as a coach again. We did it very well.”