WhenHugo Broosfirst strode into the corridors of theSouth African Football Associationin May 2021, few would have wagered on the Belgian’s ability to breathe life into a Bafana Bafana side mired in mediocrity. For over a decade, South Africa’s national team had been a byword for disappointment, haunted by the ghosts of 1996 and overshadowed by missed opportunities and crumbling self-belief. In fact, South Africa had just failed to qualify for the 2021Africa Cup of Nations(Afcon) under the tutelage of Molefi Ntseki.
Yet, in just four years, Broos has orchestrated one of the most remarkable renaissances in African football, not just by delivering results, but by instilling a new, fearless mentality that has swept through the camp and into the hearts of fans across the Rainbow Nation. The early days of Broos’ reign were turbulent. Arriving with an Afcon title on his CV, having led Cameroon to continental glory in 2017, he was nonetheless met with scepticism.
South Africa languished outside FIFA’s top 50 and the continent’s top 10. Stadiums were sparsely populated, the national jersey a punchline at gatherings. Broos, with his blunt manner and unyielding standards, ruffled more than a few feathers.
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Yet, behind the scenes, Broos was laying the foundations for something greater. “The biggest improvement since my arrival has been the mentality and professional attitude — the belief in our own qualities,” he would later reflect. Broos quickly identified that the team’s core had grown stale.
Where others saw comfort in experience, he saw stagnation. Out went the old guard, and in came a new generation, many plucked from the local league, some previously dismissed as not ready for the international stage. He waved goodbye to the likes of Bongani Zungu, formerly with Glasgow Rangers, Kamohelo Mokotjo, who once plied his trade for Brentford FC and Andile Jali, whom Broos knew from his time in Belgium at KV Oostende.
His right-hand man, Helman Mkhalele, a national hero from the 1996 vintage, played a crucial role. Together, they scoured the country for talent, prioritising not just skill, but character. Broos was unwavering in his criteria.
“For me, it’s important to have a player with quality first of all, a player with the right mentality, and a player who can do what I ask him to do,” he explained. This meant tough decisions: fan favourites were left out; unheralded youngsters were thrust into the limelight. The criticism was fierce, but Broos stood firm.
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