South Africa's Belgian head coach Hugo Broos talks to his players during a hydration break of the 2026 World Cup Group A football match between South Africa and South Korea at the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, on June 24, 2026. Picture: Julio Cesar AGUILAR / AFP
The fact that Bafana Bafana have made it through to the knockout stages of the Fifa World Cup for the first time in their history is monumental, and much of the credit has to go to coach Hugo Broos.
This World Cup marked the first time Bafana had qualified for the tournament since the 2002 edition, having gained automatic entry as hosts in 2010.
The major achievement, therefore, was simply qualifying again for football’s biggest showpiece.
However, once the tournament rolled around, expectations quickly grew.
