Dynamic tactical analysis aside, former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates mentor Muhsin Ertugral has pointed out a fascinating World Cup statistic. Photo: Backpagepix
As anticipation builds towards South Africa’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates coach Muhsin Ertugral has pointed to an intriguing piece of history that could offer encouragement to Hugo Broos’ side.
Bafana will kick off their campaign against co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca on Thursday, with many expecting the hosts to begin the tournament strongly in front of a packed home crowd. However, Ertugral believes World Cup opening matches often follow their own unique script.
The experienced coach took to social media on Thursday to highlight Mexico’s surprising record in tournament openers, suggesting that history may be more relevant than tactical analysis when the spotlight shines brightest.
“I will look away from all the noise and lots of tactical analysis made for the opener, there is for me something much more important than those analysis,” wrote Ertugral.
