‘My team, my choice’: Hugo Broos takes strong stance on Bafana Bafana selection

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has made it clear that he remains fully in control of squad selection, despite ongoing calls for the inclusion of various players.

With the World Cup qualifiers approaching, South Africa will face Lesotho on Friday at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, followed by a match against Benin in Abidjan, Ivory Coast next Tuesday.

Broos, however, has emphasised that his decision-making process remains unaffected by external pressure.

The Belgian coach made it clear that all the players he has called up deserve to be in the squad and no one—whether journalists, club officials, or other figures—will influence his choices. 

“When a player is ready, I will call him up, regardless of whether he’s from Chippa United, Sundowns, or Polokwane City,” Broos stated. “It will always be me who chooses the players for the national team.”

He further emphasised that any suggestion of outside influence on his selection is unfounded.

“You can say what you want, but if I don’t want a player in the squad, I won’t call him. These players are here because they deserve it, not because someone else wants them in the team,” he insisted.

Broos also touched on the competitive nature of Bafana’s upcoming match against Lesotho, a team that he believes will be highly motivated to face their South African neighbours. 

“Lesotho is a team that fights for each other and gives everything on the field,” Broos said. “Given that they are our neighbours, they will bring an added intensity when they face us. It will be a tough match.”

There’s been a shake-up in the squad, with Sekhukhune United’s Vuyo Letlapa replacing Mamelodi Sundowns’ Aubrey Modiba. 

Modiba, who had joined the camp on Monday, had to drop out following the birth of his child.

Broos didn’t hesitate to show respect for Modiba’s decision to prioritise his family. 

“Aubrey has a bigger role to play right now,” Broos explained. “His wife had their baby. That’s the kind of thing that matters more than any football match. He needed to be there as a father, and I support that.”

As the team heads into the qualifiers, Bafana sits second in Group C, tied on points with Rwanda, who lead due to a better goal difference. 

The stakes couldn’t be higher, with only the top team from the group securing a spot in the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

Looking back, Rwanda’s 2-0 win over South Africa in November 2023 has added some extra pressure, but Broos knows this squad has what it takes to turn things around.

For now, his focus is squarely on Lesotho. And Broos isn’t underestimating the challenge.

“They’re a team that will give everything against us. It will be a tough, tough game,” he said. 

Historically, Bafana have fared well against their COSAFA opponents Zimbabwe in World Cup qualifying, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if they blitz the Zebras out in Polokwane. 

Broos will welcome the return of marksman Percy Tau, as well as Lyle Foster, in his attacking line-up, more especially with the absence of the creative juices of Mamelodi Sundowns man Themba Zwane.

With an 11-game unbeaten streak that stretches back to March last year, Bafana seemingly have never looked better and more primed for success. 

Following their qualification to the next Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco at the end of the year, Broos understands his side’s temperament and will have his faith placed in the senior players to manage what could potentially be a trick encounter at home.