Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has painted a bleak picture of the state of national players when he took over the reins more than five years ago — before bringing in the colour and flair that have recently restored pride to the nation.
Bafana are currently the toast of South African football. They recently qualified automatically for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — their first qualification since 2002. They were merely hosts in 2010.
Their qualification campaign only faced challenges towards the end. They were docked three points by FIFA and drew with Zimbabwe in the penultimate qualifier.
But thanks to a huge favour from an unlikely source — Nigeria — they got the job done, beating Rwanda 3-0 in the final match to book their ticket to North America next year.
It hasn’t always been this way. The team didn’t display strong mentality, confidence, camaraderie or fighting spirit from the first day Broos took over in 2021 — far from it.
“When I came here, players thought that coming to the national team was like going on holiday,” Broos recalled. “They thought, ‘I’ll go to the national team for a week and enjoy a nice life.’
“I had to stop training sessions to tell the players that this is training — it’s what you’ll have to do in the game. It’s not just about showing up for an hour and a half and going through the motions.
“Training is as important as the match itself. It wasn’t easy to find the right players because many arrived with minor excuses — a knock here, a strain there — but two days before the game, they expected to be in the squad. You can achieve nothing with that kind of mentality.”
As part of Broos’s strategy to transform the team, he integrated more young players — selected for their form and hunger to win. Fast forward more than four years later, and that approach has worked like a charm.
Bafana have now qualified for back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments, securing a podium finish in the most recent edition, and are now World Cup-bound.
“Secondly, you need hunger — hunger to achieve something,” Broos continued. “It’s normal that older players may lose that hunger.
“When I was 22 and 32 years old, there was a big difference. At 32, you’ve achieved a lot. At 22, you’ve achieved nothing.
“So I wanted players who were hungry — who wanted to achieve something. Being part of the national team isn’t just about nice hotels, good food and going home. It’s hard work. Some players came once and never returned because they didn’t have the right mentality.”
One of the players whose mentality has recently changed is Sipho Mbule. The midfielder is looking like his old self again — playing with flair and confidence, easily beating defenders and impressing since returning to the national team after being sidelined due to off-field issues.
Broos is pleased to have Mbule back and revealed what he told the talented midfielder when giving him what could be his last chance.
“Helman (Mkhalele, my assistant) and I spoke, and we agreed to give him another chance,” Broos said.
“When he came back, I called him and said: ‘This is your second — and last — chance. After this, it’s over. I’m giving you this opportunity. If you don’t grab it with both hands, you’ll never be part of Bafana as long as I am the coach.
“‘Don’t forget there’s AFCON in December and maybe the World Cup next year. Do you want to be there?’ He said yes. I said: ‘Show me!’
“I never doubted his football ability. But now, you can see how he’s fighting and running. With the talent that Sipho has, as a coach, you have to be happy. I told him after the game: ‘You grabbed your chance!’”
