Hugo Broos expresses his happiness with Bafana Bafana and talks about how he has changed them!

The Belgian is very happy in South Africa.

Hugo Broos expresses his happiness with Bafana Bafana and talks about how he has changed them!

A new chapter has been etched into the annals of South African football. For the first time since 2010, and the first time as a qualifying team—not as hosts—in 23 years, Bafana Bafana are marching to the FIFA World Cup. This historic milestone was sealed on a triumphant Tuesday night at the Mbombela Stadium with a resounding 3-0 victory over Rwanda.

In the aftermath of this monumental achievement, a visibly proud coach Hugo Broos reflected on the team's remarkable journey from mockery to mastery. He shared a telling anecdote, stating, “Someone told me after the game that people used to laugh at Bafana Bafana. We were a joke, now we’re respected."

This newfound respect, Broos emphasized, is hard-earned. "We are on a high level, and everyone knows that when you play South Africa, it won’t be easy anymore,” he declared, marking a definitive shift in the team's global stature.

The Belgian tactician was quick to deflect the spotlight from himself, framing the success as a collective triumph born from a steadfast, long-term vision. “This is not my work alone. It’s the work of my staff, my players, the medical team, the kit managers, everyone. We stuck to the plan for three years and now we are reaping the rewards,” he explained.

Ultimately, Broos painted the qualification as a profound national turning point, a transformation that went beyond mere tactics and tapped into the very character of the squad. “This nation needed this. We needed to be seen differently, to judge players on performance and mentality, not just reputation. Now we have a group of winners," he affirmed, signaling the dawn of a new, victorious era for South African football.