SportfootballFIFA World Cup
Hugo Broos makes honest AFCON admission
The air in the Bafana Bafana camp is thick with a new kind of pressure, one forged in the crucible of past success. Head coach Hugo Broos, the seasoned Belgian tactician who masterminded South Africa's unexpected bronze medal finish at the last Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, has laid bare the fundamental shift in his team's reality ahead of next month's tournament in Morocco.In a refreshingly candid assessment, Broos acknowledged that his squad is no longer the plucky underdog; they are now the hunted. 'I think for us it will be a little bit different now to start the next AFCON because we are South Africa now,' Broos stated, drawing a stark line between the 2023 edition and the upcoming challenge.'This is different than two years ago. We were a team of South Africa and with the performance we did and the results we had, I think also the opponents will prepare the game a little bit different than two years ago.' This is the classic conundrum of success in international football, reminiscent of how a surprise package like Greece after their 2004 Euro triumph or even Croatia following their 2018 World Cup final run had to adapt. Teams no longer see Bafana Bafana as a potential three points but as a scalp to be earned, meticulously analyzing their compact defensive structure, their rapid transitions, and the burgeoning talents of players like Mamelodi Sundowns' Teboho Mokoena, whose midfield dominance can be likened to a young Steven Pienaar in his prime.Drawn into a formidable Group E alongside record seven-time champions Egypt—a nation perpetually boasting talents of Mohamed Salah's calibre—as well as a physically robust Angola and regional rivals Zimbabwe, every match will be a tactical arm-wrestle. Broos is correct; the approach from opponents will be different.They will sit deeper, cede possession, and look to hit on the counter, a stark contrast to the more open games Bafana might have enjoyed when they were considered less of a threat. This, as Broos rightly identifies, is the 'next step' for this maturing squad.Can they break down a stubborn low block? Can they maintain their defensive discipline when forced to control the game and dictate the tempo? The progression Broos speaks of is not just measured in knockout stage appearances but in the ability to evolve tactically. Doing 'the same results as the last one'—meaning another deep run to the semi-finals or beyond—would indeed signal an 'enormous' leap, cementing South Africa's return to the African footballing elite and providing invaluable high-pressure experience ahead of the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.While he braces for this new challenge, Broos exudes a quiet confidence, firmly dismissing the specter of an early group stage exit. 'Let's talk about the worst case.that should be very bad. So, we have to try to avoid that and I'm confident because I know this group, the quality is there, the mentality is there,' he asserted.His faith is not misplaced. The core of the team, largely built around the dominant Mamelodi Sundowns contingent that regularly competes in the CAF Champions League, possesses a resilience and understanding that was absent for years.The emergence of a reliable striker, a perennial issue for South Africa, remains a key narrative, but the collective strength, much like Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid, is their greatest asset. Broos concluded, 'It would honestly be a very big surprise for me if after three games we should have to come back to South Africa. ' This belief, coupled with the hard-earned respect of their peers, sets the stage for a fascinating AFCON campaign where Bafana Bafana must prove their bronze was no fluke, but the foundation of a lasting legacy.
#lead focus news
#Hugo Broos
#Bafana Bafana
#AFCON 2025
#South Africa football
#World Cup qualifiers
#team expectations
