Ruud Gullit says South Africa have closed gap on France and Spain

Ruud Gullit has praised South Africa’s historic FIFA World Cup campaign, saying the improvement of emerging football nations is making life increasingly difficult for established powers such as France and Spain.

Bafana Bafana reached the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time in their history earlier this year. Their campaign ended in the Round of 32, when they were beaten by co-hosts Canada.

Recognition of South Africa’s progress has continued months after the tournament, with former Netherlands international Gullit the latest prominent figure to commend the team’s performance.

Although head coach Hugo Broos has since left his position following a transformative five-year spell, the prospects for South African football remain extremely positive.

Gullit, who won 66 caps for the Netherlands between 1981 and 1994, said Bafana Bafana’s showing reflected a wider change in the international game.

“​​Nations like South Africa have closed the gap on France and Spain in so many ways, and international football is only going to get harder for the big, established teams in the future,” Gullit told ComeOn.

He said the basic principles of football had remained consistent, but the speed and physical demands of matches had changed significantly.

“The core philosophy of how to play football remains the samethat hasn’t changed. It is the raw intensity of the modern game that has skyrocketed. Whether a team sets up in a 4-4-2, 4-3-3, or 4-2-3-1, the tactical fundamentals are still intact. What has truly evolved is the pace and pressure on the pitch.”

Gullit believes the increased athletic standards of modern players have also made defensive organisation more effective, reducing the space available to attacking teams.

“Football has become significantly more challenging because of this heightened intensity and the extraordinary physical conditioning of modern players. Defences are far tougher to unlock now because every athlete is strong, organised, and capable on the ball. We saw that firsthand at the World Cup.

“So-called smaller nations are incredibly difficult to break down. Every team can run, and every squad executes the basics seamlessly. While the tactical philosophies endure, the baseline standard of global football has risen across the board.”