Defiant Broos fires back at critics after AFCON exit

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has returned to South African soil in a combative mood, dismissing the wave of criticism following his side’s Round of 16 exit at AFCON 2025.

The Belgian tactician, who led South Africa to a bronze medal in the previous edition, found himself in the firing line after a 2-1 defeat to Cameroon on Sunday. Critics have slammed Broos for his rigid 3-4-3 formation and a perceived failure to adapt when the Indomitable Lions took control.

Speaking to the media at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday upcon arrival from the AFCON in Morocco, a steadfast Broos made it clear he has no intention of entertaining “armchair coaches” or social media pundits.

“I don’t read social media because it’s all trash,” Broos stated bluntly. “I have 40 years of experience. When things are going well, those guys shut up. But the moment there is a defeat, they have big mouths. They have a big mouth now, and I can manage that.”

Broos emphasised that he has ignored outside noise for the past four years and won’t be changing his approach for the final six months of his tenure.

The European Deficit At AFCON For Bafana

Beyond the tactical debate, Broos pointed to a deeper structural issue within South African football: a lack of representation in Europe’s elite leagues.

While opponents like Angola and Cameroon boast squads stacked with overseas talent, Bafana’s squad remains largely domestic-based. Broos noted that this creates a “quality gap” that is difficult to bridge at the continental level.

Key Comparative Stats from the AFCON Tournament:

Group Stage: Bafana conceded 4 goals across three games.

Squad Composition: Heavily reliant on PSL talent, while stars like Shandre Campbell (Club Brugge) saw limited minutes.

The Opposition Factor: Broos highlighted Cameroon’s Christian Kofane (Bayer Leverkusen) as the standard Bafana needs to compete with.

“The level of the PSL compared to what we faced in the last few weeks is very different,” Broos explained. “You can only make that gap smaller when you have more players playing in Europe. They need to be challenged more.”