Broos shuts out social media ‘big mouths’ as Bafana return from Afcon flop

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos will take stock after his team’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) flop and analyse what went right and wrong and how to correct the deficiencies before the 2026 World Cup, he said on their arrival home.

As his squad touched down on Wednesday morning at OR Tambo International Airport earlier than hoped for after Sunday’s 2-1 last 16 exit at the hands of Cameroon, Broos, though, stressed he will pay no heed to the “big mouths” on social media in his decision-making.

South Africa went to the Afcon as dark horses after their unexpected bronze medal in Ivory Coast early in 2024. They were unconvincing in their Group B wins against Angola and Zimbabwe and defeat against Egypt before succumbing to the Indomitable Lions in the opening knockout round.

“Everybody is very disappointed,” Broos admitted.

“We went to Afcon with the goal of doing as well as in the last tournament and maybe better. OK, it didn’t work — we are already home, and it’s a big disappointment.

“On the other hand, I said before Afcon this would be a more difficult tournament than the one before. We were South Africa [before], and now we were the bronze medal winners. It was tougher for us to play the games.

“Also, in the previous Afcon, in the group stage, teams such as Egypt, Senegal, Ghana, all those big countries were out. Now all those big countries are in the quarterfinals. So that shows how difficult this Afcon was.”

The coach has taken much flak on social media for some of the selections in his initial squad and matches at Afcon.

“First, I don’t want to comment on that. Second, I don’t read social media because that is trash,” he responded.

“And you know with the experience of 40 years [coaching] that when everything is good, all those guys have to shut up, but when you have a defeat, they have big mouths. So, they have big mouths now, and I know that, and I can manage that.

“Whatever they say, whatever they think I should do or whatever; the players I have to call, I have been here for four years without listening to that, and I won’t in my last six months either.”

Broos was asked about the conversations he had with his players after a tournament where Bafana could not click and plans just did not work out.

“I don’t want to repeat that in front of these cameras — that is something between me and the players.

“My job now is to try to analyse what happened and see what was wrong and what was good and try to correct the wrong things and be stronger again for the World Cup in six months.”

On new players or altered plans he might consider for the World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the US in June and July, Broos said: “I don’t want to analyse now because we are still in frustration and disappointment.

We were hosts of the World Cup [in 2010]. And let’s hope that in the coming years I can see that South Africa is also again at the next Afcon and next World Cup because those are levels where you learn a lot.

—  Hugo Broos

“I will do that next week when everything is calm.”

On positives to take from the Afcon, Broos highlighted his team’s continued growth from playing at the competitive level.

“It was a good experience, certainly, even if it was a bad experience. I always said a team such as South Africa has to be at every Afcon, and for the moment we have succeeded in doing that.

“OK, this was less good than the other one, but we were there, and that is the most important thing.

“We were hosts of the World Cup [in 2010]. And let’s hope that in the coming years I can see that South Africa is also again at the next Afcon and next World Cup because those are levels where you learn a lot.”

Bafana are drawn in Group A of Fifa’s first 48-team World Cup with Mexico, South Korea and a qualifier from Uefa. They kick off against the co-hosts at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11 and begin preparation friendlies in March.

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