Broos Praises Team After Historic Qualification
South Africa coach Hugo Broos expressed pride in his players after they silenced critics and secured a place in the World Cup knockout stage for the first time.
The Bafana Bafana, appearing at the tournament for the fourth time, had been written off after a 2‑0 loss to Mexico in their opener. A draw with the Czech Republic followed, before Thapelo Maseko’s second‑half goal against South Korea in Monterrey sealed the historic win.
“I’m very proud of the performance of my team and I think we gave an answer to all those big mouths of the last weeks that thought we had to change something,” Broos said.
The 74‑year‑old Belgian, who has led South Africa since 2021, described the achievement as emotional, noting he is nearing the end of his coaching career.
“I said it already in the past that probably it will be one of the last games of my career and when you can end a career like I had in this way, I think everybody or every coach dreams of it,” he added.
Broos emphasized his belief in the squad despite outside criticism, describing his relationship with the players as that of a friend rather than just a coach.
South Africa now faces co‑hosts Canada in Los Angeles, with a spot in the last 16 on the line.
“I just know that the players will be ready again and try to achieve the third round,” Broos said. “It should be even more historic. But those players are chasing those things. Those players want to prove to everyone and to show that they are a good team. So we will see next Sunday if we can go further.”
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