Bafana Bafana midfielder Oswin Appollis looks dejected after Canada's Stephen Eustáquio found the back of the next in stoppage time of their World Cup match.
The mental fortitude of the Bafana Bafana players has been the primary driving force behind their impressive five-year resurgence, which recently culminated in reaching the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time since their maiden qualification 28 years ago.
Bafana lost 1-0 to Canada in the World Cup round of 32 on Sunday night. While the defeat stung, they exited the tournament with their heads held high, having achieved the improbable by advancing past the group stage.
That progression underscores the team’s growth over the last five years under head coach Hugo Broos, the tactician having largely dismantled the foundations laid by his predecessors to rebuild the squad his own way.
The Belgian's approach didn’t please everyone, particularly his decision to anchor the team's structure around pitch and off-field discipline, sheer determination, and camaraderie, regardless of club allegiances. Broos maintains that elevating the team to its current level was no easy feat. He recalled a time when players treated national call-ups like all-expenses-paid holidays.
