Hugo Broos deserves a statue – Ronwen Williams hails Coach after historic World Cup feat

South Africa captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has paid glowing tribute to head coach Hugo Broos following Bafana Bafana’s historic qualification for the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time.

South Africa secured their place in the Round of 32 with a stunning 1-0 victory over South Korea in their final Group A match, a result that sealed one of the country’s greatest achievements on the global stage.

Thapelo Maseko’s decisive second-half strike proved enough to send Bafana Bafana through and set up a last-32 clash against Canada.

Speaking after the landmark victory, an emotional Williams reserved special praise for Belgian tactician Hugo Broos, crediting him for instilling belief within the squad despite criticism from outside.

“Hugo Broos deserves a statue. Sometimes we lack confidence and don’t believe in our ability to achieve something great, but he always reminds us that we can. When people criticize us, he is always by our side,” Williams said.

The South African skipper’s remarks underline the significant impact Broos has had since taking charge of the national team, transforming a side that many had written off before the tournament.

After opening their campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Mexico, Bafana responded with a draw against the Czech Republic before producing a disciplined display to beat South Korea and advance from the group stage for the first time in the nation’s World Cup history.

Broos and his squad had come under heavy scrutiny following their disappointing start to the tournament, with pundits and supporters questioning the team’s ability to compete at the highest level.

However, Bafana Bafana rallied impressively, using the criticism as motivation to script a remarkable turnaround.

The veteran coach, who has repeatedly spoken about his belief in the team’s potential, praised his players’ tactical discipline after the victory over South Korea, insisting their hard work had finally paid off.

South Africa will now turn their attention to a highly anticipated Round of 32 encounter against Canada, with Broos’ men aiming to continue their dream run and make even more history at the expanded 48-team World Cup.