Hugo Broos makes bold Bafana claim

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos says his team is not afraid of any opponent at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the USA, Mexico and Canada.

The Belgian mentor guided South Africa to a historic first knockout stage berth at the global showpiece after beating South Korea 1-0 at Estadio Monterrey on Thursday.

Bafana had to defy the odds to seal a place in the Round of 32 as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mexico in the opening game, in what was an underwhelming performance.

Now, having etched their name in history, Broos hailed his troops' mental fortitude, revealing how they draw inspiration from setbacks and remain united in camp.

“This is one of the big qualities that this group has. You know when things are not going good, there's still a bunch of friends and I think this is very important, nobody has criticized another player or the workload in the training is less,” said the Bafana boss.

"When things are going bad they work harder, so the mentality in this group is amazing and I think it's an example for many teams. Everybody is working for everybody and for my side, I am a coach who likes discipline and that doesn't mean that I'm there with my watch saying, 'Oh you're 10 seconds too late, I punish you', no.

"I give them also much freedom but with limits, and I think that's the right combination between me and them as players.

With their maiden appearance in the knockout phase beckoning, the veteran tactician insists his team is not fazed by any nation at the World Cup, despite the underdog tag.

“We got a lot of critics in the last weeks but today [vs South Korea] there was a team on the pitch, and that is really amazing what happens here with South Africa,” Broos added.

"We are not afraid of other teams and we will always fight for it like today, and we will do it on Sunday also.

Bafana will now lock horns with fellow knockout stage debutants Canada for a spot in the last-16 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday, 28 June.

Hlayisani Magoro

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Football journalist from South Africa covering African football news, exclusive stories and key events while sharing insights with passionate fans of the game.

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