Football lovers in Mzansi are still reeling from the pain of failing to make the latter stages of the biennial competition ongoing in the North African nation of Morocco after falling to the five-time champions, the Indomitable Lions, in the initial knockout phase round. However, the style of play caught the attention of an experienced tactician.
Bafana Bafana's exit from the 2025 AFCON has divided opinion about the team's coach and some former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates stars have sharply criticised the Belgian to the extent of calling for his head. This is despite the 2017 AFCON-winning coach being set to retire from his career in the dugout after the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be staged in North America.
South Africa are fresh from a not-so-satisfying Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) outing in Morocco, where they failed to get past the Round of 16 just two years after finishing third in Ivory Coast. The main focus now is the forthcoming global competition that will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
After Bafana Bafana's elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), coach Hugo Broos has been trending in Mzansi. Some have been showing immense support for the veteran tactician, while a section is not satisfied with the exploits in Morocco, where they feel South Africa could have done better.
South Africa's national team failed to deliver the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as the majority of their supporters had anticipated after getting eliminated in the Round of 16 by the five-time champions, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon. The preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have now begun.
Going to Morocco, Bafana were ambitious and hoped to mount a campaign even better than what they did in Ivory Coast in the last AFCON edition. But that was not the case; despite a spirited fight against Cameroon, the 1996 champions were eliminated. Scenes after the final whistle just showed how the players felt; as the Indomitable Lions celebrated, crestfallen South Africans struggled to understand what happened; some fell to the ground as the strong ones comforted them.
The Belgian tactician insists the national team lacks players who have been exposed to top leagues in Europe as opposed to their opponents on the continent. Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the 73-year-old has hinted Mzansi should not expect miracles unless more of his potential squad play regularly in 'tough' overseas divisions.
We ask the question whether the Belgian tactician is still the right man to lead South Africa to the World Cup? Or has his time at the helm of the national team come to a natural end after a series of questionable decisions around the make up of his squad and the First XI choices he made at the biennial tournament?
The veteran 73-year-old Belgian tactician has been trending since the country's elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Sunday by Cameroon, who will now play Morocco in the quarter-final. A section of South African fans believe the coach has lost it, while some remain optimistic he is the right man at the helm of the Mzansi national team.
Although South Africa's campaign in the Africa Cup of Nations was underwhelming, one of their players has already been linked with a big move. The Masandawana star has been a consistent figure in the national team, and that has helped raise his profile as a player. After winning multiple titles with the Tshwane giants, many believe he is among the players who should venture outside the country now.
After South Africa failed to reach the last eight, several factors have been cited as contributing reasons for the poor showing in Morocco. But Broos has been mainly blamed for his tactics and changes to the line-up. Following the struggle, questions are now raised on whether Bafana will indeed manage to mount a better campaign during the upcoming global showpiece.
It’s no secret that pulling on the jersey of one of the Premier Soccer League's big three clubs is every player’s fast track to bigger dreams, complete with the perks, pressure, and glory that come with those famous badges; however, not everyone survives the ride. Some crash, some thrive. For the 25-year-old Bucs star, it’s been a winning journey, with the move to the Sea Robbers bringing a major boost both on and off the pitch.
The Pirates youngster was among the players who were handed their first AFCON starts, and he ended up struggling against the Indomitable Lions. Broos' tactical strategy has also come into sharp criticism, as many feel that he is responsible for the Round of 16 loss. After ending their campaign in the last four in Ivory Coast, this time around Bafana exited the campaign early, which means they failed to hit their AFCON target.
The legendary South African midfielder has been playing for Masandawana since 2011, delivering consistently across all competitions for both the Premier Soccer League heavyweights and the national team. Despite being 36, 'Mshishi' as he is commonly referred to, remains a vital player not only for Masandawana but for Hugo Broos' men.
Following a disappointing end to the Africa Cup of Nations for the Mzansi side, a flood of opinions, what ifs, and should-haves has dominated discussions, as the football community continues to digest the outcome of the campaign. With emotions still raw, supporters and pundits alike have begun dissecting every decision, selection, and moment that may have altered Bafana’s fate, turning the post-tournament period into a space of reflection, debate, and renewed expectations for what lies ahead.
As many try to wrap their heads around Bafana's elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations, some have pointed out what contributed to the poor show in Morocco. Despite starting the campaign with a win, South Africa's struggles were visible in games against Zimbabwe and Egypt. They were then exposed and beaten by Cameroon, who claimed a vital victory that propelled them to the quarter-finals.
South Africa were booted out of the continental competition at the Round of 16 stage by the Indomitable Lions in Rabat. The exit meant they failed to at least replicate the outing at the previous edition in Ivory Coast. They now head home, hoping their showing in Morocco will not demoralise them ahead of June's 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In an attempt to ensure that South Africa remain in Morocco, the Belgian came up with what looked like a strange matchday plan, and also his team formation was not what he used to deploy. He made four changes to the squad that faced Cameroon and got eliminated. In the end, the strategy failed as Bafana saw their journey come to an end and the Indomitable Lions progressed to the last eight.
South Africa's coach firmly defended his tactical and squad choices by pointing out they had three 'open' chances to score in the first half hour of the Round of 16 clash with the Indomitable Lions but failure to capitalise on those chances meant his side was vulnerable to conceding and losing the match.
The 1996 winners failed to find a way past the five-time champions, the Indomitable Lions, in the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) ongoing in the North African country of Morocco. South Africa were punished for an inconsistent start against a determined opponent who will now be hoping to go all the way.
South Africa deployed a more defensive approach with the hope of winning the midfield battle, but in the end, Hugo Broos' gamble did not pay off, as his players were outfoxed. A journey that started with a controversial off-pitch issue between the coach and Mbekezeli Mbokazi has ended as crestfallen Mzansi head home earlier than in the last edition, where they reached the last four. Ironically, a team that Broos helped lift their last AFCON title has ended his dream of winning his second continental trophy.
The 21-year-old is among the most talented attackers in the Premier Soccer League, always bringing his 'A' game when representing either the Buccaneers or the national team, Bafana Bafana. However, his future with the Sea Robbers is in doubt after his recent admission from Morocco, where he is taking part in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The reigning Premier Soccer League champions have once again decided to break the bank and get a player they feel will help them meet their target for the season after losing a key player at the beginning of the 2025/26 season. Apart from the South African top flight, the Brazilians are hoping to challenge for the CAF Champions League crown.
This is a massive game for both sides as they hope to get a favourable result that will keep alive their dream of winning the biennial competition going on in the North African nation of Morocco. This will be a massive match for coach Hugo Broos, who helped the Indomitable Lions win the 2017 edition.
South Africa is among the 16 teams that made it out of the initial group stage after finishing second in their pool, which had the seven-time champions Egypt who eventually topped it, alongside COSAFA duo Zimbabwe and Angola, who were eliminated. Former Buccaneers tactician hopes to see his country in the final but has branded another team as the 'most dangerous.'
South Africa
