Egyptian football icon Mohamed Aboutrika has launched a scathing attack on South Africa head coach Hugo Broos over his criticism of the organisation of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Broos had sparked controversy earlier in the tournament after claiming he was not feeling the atmosphere of the competition, drawing unfavourable comparisons with the 2023 edition hosted by Côte d’Ivoire. The Belgian also took aim at the Confederation of African Football (CAF), citing long travel times to training sessions and match venues.
However, following South Africa’s exit from the tournament after a 2-1 defeat to Cameroon on Sunday, Aboutrika — a former AFCON winner with Egypt — did not hold back in his assessment of Broos’ remarks.
“Honestly, I want Hugo Broos to be knocked out. The arrogance is obvious, and his comments are very irritating. Everyone is praising the stadiums and the organisation, yet he’s the only one criticising,” he said.
Aboutrika further dismissed Broos’ complaints about logistics, insisting they were unjustified.
“He complains about taking 45 minutes from the hotel to the training ground, even though you finished second in your group and threw away top spot. No one else complained like this. It clearly shows arrogance.”
The former Al Ahly star concluded by reiterating his frustration with the South African coach’s stance.
“Honestly, I want him out of the tournament. I don’t like arrogance, especially when everyone is going in one direction, and you’re going the opposite way,” Aboutrika added.
Meanwhile, Cameroon will face tournament hosts Morocco in the quarter-finals on Friday, January 9, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 GMT.
