South Africa’s Broos smiles and snarls before Canada World Cup showdown

Hugo Broos, South Africa's coach, stands on the brink of the biggest match of his 38-year career as his team, Bafana Bafana, prepares for their first-ever World Cup knockout stage appearance against Canada on Sunday in Los Angeles. The 74-year-old Belgian grandfather's joy stems from achieving what many previous coaches, including the renowned Carlos Alberto Parreira, could not. A crucial 1-0 victory over higher-ranked South Korea, secured by a goal from Thapelo Maseko, propelled South Africa to second place in Group A and into the last-32. This qualification followed a shaky start to the tournament, with a disappointing 2-0 loss to co-hosts Mexico and a narrow 1-1 draw against Czechia, where Teboho Mokoena scored a late penalty. These results had left many South Africans feeling pessimistic before the decisive match against Korea. However, the team ultimately prevailed, demonstrating a passion that had been lacking in their earlier games. Broos, who previously guided Cameroon to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations title, told AFP that the team "believed in itself." He described the qualification as "a hugely emotional moment – getting past the group stage for the first time." Looking ahead to the Canada match, Broos stated, "We are ready for the Canadians. My team will fight for 90 minutes, and longer if necessary. Let us hope for another good result." Despite the elation, Broos also expressed anger at criticism he received after the loss to Mexico. "There was a lot of criticism from current and former coaches and players and some supporters. They must know that I do things my way," he asserted, adding, "I do not read social media trash. I never listen to people who think they are important. It would be better for them to shut up." He recalled a suggestion that a statue should be erected in his honor, responding wryly, "I told them to make it of wood so it burns quickly when we fail." South Africa's journey to this point follows a decade of underachievement, marked by failures to qualify for the AFCON and missing three consecutive World Cups after their 2010 hosting.

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believed in itself