Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos uses his own playing days to protect striker Lyle Foster after a high-pressure penalty miss ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Photo: Backpagepix
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos recounted his glory days from the penalty spot during his national and club career in justifying Lyle Foster's recent miss against Nicaragua, revealing his own triumphs and struggles from the spot.
While it was only a warm-up friendly, the fact that Foster hit the woodwork on Friday night againsgt the Central American nation, is a worrying sign given the current context of his club and international career. But this isn't Broos' first rodeo. The veteran Belgian tactician knows he must inject every bit of confidence into his under-fire frontman to lift his spirits before Bafana Bafana head into the most important group of matches of their lives.
Reflecting on his own career, Broos noted that his international penalty debut came at a time when he had far less weight on his shoulders. However, that same confidence vanished when a spot-kick turned into a nightmare during a fierce Belgian club derby just weeks later.
"Sometimes the best players in the world miss penalties. This is not trainable. I had never took a penalty when I was a player (until) in the 1986 Fifa World Cup against Spain there were penalties. The coach was looking for people and I said me. I scored.
