From empty stands to euphoria — Hugo Broos leads Bafana Bafana’s revival

A proud and emotional Hugo Broos could barely contain his joy as he reflected on Bafana Bafana’s historic return to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 2010. 

The Belgian tactician, often a divisive figure since his appointment in 2021, stood vindicated on a memorable night in Mbombela where his side swept past Rwanda 3–0 to seal qualification.

For Broos, this was more than just a football triumph — it was a moment of redemption after years of skepticism and public doubt. 

His selections, methods, and at times blunt honesty have long divided opinion, but the result in Nelspruit was the culmination of a project built on belief, structure, and resilience.

“I know not everyone agreed with the choices I made,” Broos admitted after the match. 

“But I make choices based on different criteria. For me, it’s important to have a player with quality and the right mentality — a player that does what I ask of him. Till now, I have succeeded in doing that, even when everyone thought others needed a chance.”

The 73-year-old coach inherited a team struggling for identity and weighed down by inconsistency. 

When Broos first arrived, Bafana were playing in front of empty seats and disillusioned fans.

Four years later, Mbombela was a sea of yellow and green, a nation once again believing in its team.

“When I came here four years ago, there was nobody in the stadium,” he recalled, emotion thick in his voice. 

“It was very difficult for us to play in an empty stadium. Now, everyone is behind us, and this is a very, very nice feeling.”

Indeed, it was more than just a victory — it was a restoration of pride. Broos has reconnected Bafana Bafana with their supporters, instilling a sense of discipline and purpose that has often been missing in South African football’s recent past. 

The qualification is a statement that the country belongs back among the elite, that the dark years of near misses and unfulfilled promise may finally be fading.

“This qualification is about more than football,” Broos added. “It’s about pride and belief. It’s about giving South Africans something to celebrate again.”

Attention now shifts to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations, where Broos hopes to build on the momentum that carried Bafana to the World Cup. 

South Africa reached the semifinals of the previous AFCON, and the coach believes his players are capable of even greater achievements.

“I hope now that at the AFCON we do as well as the last tournament or even better,” he said. 

“But I hope we go to high-level competition consistently because these players deserve that. And if we can do that in the future, we’ll see South Africa getting better.”

For Broos, the World Cup ticket represents the fulfillment of a promise — to rebuild, to restore, and to remind the continent that Bafana Bafana are back where they belong.