Bafana Bafana embrace tough World Cup lessons and move on

The Bafana Bafana that Hugo Broos initially inherited would have gone down a slippery slope after their 2-0 defeat to Mexico in the opening match of the 2026 Fifa World Cup. After failing many times to qualify for African tournaments, let alone the World Cup, the Bafana Bafana team that Broos took over lacked confidence. He has steadily changed this.

This is why Bafana Bafana were able to bounce back from their loss to Mexico and earn enough points to reach the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time. With four points accumulated from a draw against Czechia and a win against South Korea, Bafana Bafana placed second in their group, behind Mexico. This meant the South Africans did not have to depend on progressing by placing among the eight best third-placed teams.

Ironically, before the World Cup, Broos had said that his team’s best hopes of reaching the knockout round, considering the tough group they were in, would likely be via the eight best losers route. “It’s not an easy group. First of all we have to play the opening game of the tournament against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium. It will be a very tough game,” Broos said after the World Cup draw in December 2025.

“It will be difficult for us to be in first or second place. But on the other hand, under this new format of the World Cup, the eight best third-placed teams qualify, so we have to focus on that.”

Proving doubters wrong

Many pundits and soccer lovers around the world did not expect the South Africans to reach this third-place minimum target they had set for themselves. Bafana Bafana were deemed to be a porous team that would donate points to their Group A counterparts. So, for them to manage second place shocked many.

If Bafana Bafana had qualified for the knockouts by finishing third in their group, detractors may have argued that they benefited from the new rules accompanying the World Cup growing from 32 to 48 teams. But by virtue of qualifying in second place, no one can diminish the achievement of this generation of Bafana Bafana players. Even if the tournament had comprised 32 nations, they would have been in the knockouts.

Of course, upon reaching the round of 32, the manner in which a beatable Canadian team defeated them 1-0 has left the team with mixed feelings about their historic World Cup journey. A feeling lingers that they could have done more to extend their stay in North America.

“We are sad. We felt we could have done much better not to lose the game the way we did, so we’re sad,” said Teboho Mokoena, Bafana Bafana’s midfield maestro.

“We can be proud of ourselves for creating history, but the way we lost creates a bittersweet feeling. At the highest level, the margins are very small. When you get your chances you must convert them. These are some of the lessons we must take going forward. We have to be clinical.”

A bright future

The midfielder’s words about efficiency were echoed by captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, although he also shared his excitement and hope for the future considering that a large chunk of players that were part of South Africa’s World Cup squad are under the age of 25.

This includes Bafana Bafana’s centre-back pairing at the tournament, Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Ime Okon, as well as fellow central defenders Olwethu Makhanya and Khulumani Ndamane. Players such as Oswin Appollis, Relebohile Mofokeng, Jayden Adams and Thapelo Maseko are among them too.

“The youngsters were magnificent in this tournament, especially the two young ­centre-backs who were in front of me,” said Williams. “At that level you normally have experienced players in that position, but they showed their quality.

“But I’m not only proud of the two of them. There are so many young players in the team, so I’m excited for the future of the country. For them to be playing at this level at such a young age, learning these tough lessons [that come with it] and enduring these experiences can only be positive for the team.

“We need to reflect and build on this. It should not take us years and years again to be part of the World Cup. There needs to be a continuation, which I believe is possible because of the young players who have picked up valuable experience. We need to keep going. We need to believe in ourselves.”

Bye bye Broos?

The striking department is one where Bafana Bafana were exposed at the World Cup. Broos selected Evidence Makgopa and Lyle Foster, in addition to Iqraam Rayners. Each was handed his own opportunities at various stages of the tournament. However, none of them impressed as Bafana Bafana scored just two goals from their four matches, despite a multitude of opportunities being created.

This striker problem is something for which the next Bafana Bafana coach will have to find a solution. After five years in charge, Broos’ contract as head coach has expired and the South African Football Association (Safa) is actively searching for the Belgian’s replacement. Names such as Pitso Mosimane, Rulani Mokwena and former Orlando Pirates boss José Riveiro have been mentioned.

After Bafana Bafana’s defeat to Canada, Broos did not want to confirm outright that he is leaving the post he has held since 2021. The 74-year-old said he still had to have a debriefing with his employer and then a formal announcement about his future would be made.

In May, Safa’s technical committee chairperson, Jack Maluleke, said if Broos wanted to remain he would have to resubmit his CV. “We have opened the process [to recruit a new coach]. If Hugo Broos has interest to continue, he will have to make a presentation [to Safa] to say, ‘I’m available.’ We won’t close that space. But we are aware that immediately after the World Cup, the team must proceed towards the future.”

The qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations begin in September. The South Africans are grouped along with Guinea, Kenya and Eritrea. The tournament is scheduled to be co-hosted by Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly DM168 newspaper, available countrywide for R35.