Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has reaffirmed his belief in his squad as South Africa continues preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking ahead of their second international friendly against Panama in Cape Town, Broos revealed that the bulk of his squad selection is already decided, with only a few final spots still under consideration.
“Seventy percent of the selection is already in my head, and the rest will be finalised in May. Everything depends on the shape of the players,” he said. “There is still some work to do because we are going to the World Cup.”
Reflecting on his five-year tenure, Broos pointed to the significant progress made by the national team.
“You cannot compare today’s team with the team from four years ago. It was a long way before we found the right selection. It took a year, and there was a lot of criticism,” he admitted. “If I compare this team and the team from four years ago, the difference is as clear as day and night.”
READ: Bafana coach Hugo Broos Boasts Full Squad for Sold-Out Panama Clash
Despite the scale of the challenge ahead, Broos insists he has no concerns going into the World Cup. “Honestly, I’m not worried. I know the boys, I know their mentality and the hunger that they have,” he said. “When we started the qualifier for the World Cup, there was something that I wanted to achieve as a coach that I did already as a player. And now that I’m there, I want to make good performances.”
He stressed that simply qualifying is not enough. “For me, it is not enough just to be there, and I should be very disappointed if the performance is not what I think it has to be,” Broos added.
Bafana Bafana will be eager to improve on their showing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where they were eliminated in the round of 16, as they aim to make a stronger impact on the global stage.