Hugo Broos leaves South Africa with Bafana Bafana in far stronger position

Hugo Broos ended his five-year tenure as South Africa coach on Friday, leaving Bafana Bafana after transforming a team that had lost public support into a competitive force on the continent and at the World Cup.

The 74-year-old Belgian was often criticised for his outspoken manner, but his assessment of South African football was frequently accurate. He repeatedly highlighted the weakness of the country’s development structures and the shortage of players good enough to compete in Europe.

When Broos took charge in 2021, Bafana were struggling for consistency and playing in front of largely empty stadiums. By the time he departed, they had regained the faith of supporters and established themselves as a team capable of challenging at international level.

Broos did not shy away from controversy. In his early press conferences, he criticised the South African Football Association (Safa) over the poor state of the junior national teams and attacked the Premier Soccer League (PSL) for failing to arrange a meeting with coaches.

In 2022, Mamelodi Sundowns senior coach Steve Komphela described Broos as disrespectful after the Belgian said South Africa did not have enough players capable of competing at the highest level.

Broos also publicly questioned the professionalism of his squad, including criticising the late Jayden Adams and Mbekezeli Mbokazi for arriving late at camp. His strongly worded comments about Mbokazi and agent Basia Michaels led to an apology after the UDM accused him of racism and sexism.

His selection decisions also drew criticism. He continued to pick Nyiko Mobbie while overlooking players including Thembinkosi Lorch, Gift Links and, more recently, Grant Kekana. He also selected Tylon Smith and Shandre Campbell for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco to give them tournament experience, but left both out of the 2026 Fifa World Cup squad.

Broos was often unpopular with Kaizer Chiefs supporters because he regularly excluded their players, arguing that they did not deserve places in the national team. His comments sometimes prompted accusations of racial bias, but he remained committed to his approach.

There were moments when he acknowledged his own mistakes. One example came with Themba Zwane, whom Broos initially considered too old for international football before changing his mind.

A team rebuilt

Working closely with assistant coach Helman Mkhalele and the rest of the technical team, Broos helped restore Bafana’s credibility.

South Africa qualified for consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. They finished second behind Morocco in qualifying for the tournament in Cote d’Ivoire, where they won bronze, before topping their group to reach the finals in Morocco, where they progressed to the last 16.

Late last year, a victory over Rwanda at a packed Mbombela Stadium secured qualification for the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Bafana then travelled to the US, Mexico and Canada and achieved the historic objective of reaching the knockout stages.

Broos built that progress around a settled group, including captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Sphephelo Sithole, Thalente Mbatha, Teboho Mokoena, Lyle Foster, Evidence Makgopa and, more recently, Mbokazi and Relebohile Mofokeng.

Several players from his early squads eventually fell out of favour, including Bruce Bvuma, Rivaldo Coetzee, Mosa Lebusa, Innocent Maela, Kegan Dolly, Sipho Mbule, Goodman Mosele, Ethan Brooks, Thabang Monare, Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Percy Tau.

As he said goodbye at Safa House on Friday before returning to Belgium, Broos declined to advise his successor, saying the incoming coach should be given the freedom to choose his own team.

The next manager will inherit experienced players such as Williams, Mudau, Modiba, Sibisi, Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole, Thalente Mbatha, Oswin Appollis, Foster and Makgopa. There is also a promising younger generation featuring Mbokazi, Ime Okon, Tylon Smith, Olwethu Makhanya, Khulumane Ndamane, Thapelo Maseko, Tshepang Moremi, Mohau Nkota and Shandre Campbell.

The senior players are likely to be heading towards their final major tournament at the 2027 Afcon in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, but their experience offers genuine hope for the future.

Broos’s greatest achievement is leaving South Africa in a far better position than the one he inherited. Although there was a desire for him to remain, his departure may have come at the right time.

He cared deeply about South Africa and its people, and his exit represents a significant loss for Bafana. The next coach will face a difficult task in matching his record.

As Broos left his final press conference at Safa House, the choice of music might have been obvious: Frank Sinatra’s I Did It My Way.

Love him or dislike him, Broos has left an indelible mark on South African football.