Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has stuck to his guns since taking over five years ago. | Backpagepix
Five years can either be a long or short time in football, depending on how you look at it. However, given that Hugo Broos built Bafana Bafana from the ground up, it has been enough time for the masses to understand that he – and no one else – runs the team.
Broos announced his 32-member preliminary squad for the upcoming 2026 Fifa World Cup on Thursday. His selection was understandably met with mixed emotions – some criticised him for being biased, while others applauded him for sticking with his trusted core.
When it comes to squad selection, everyone was always going to have an opinion, including myself. I am choosing to reserve judgment until the end of the campaign, when the overall pros and cons can be properly assessed.
For now, though, no opinion matters except Broos’, as he will select his final 26-man squad on May 27 from the provisional list already submitted to Fifa.
