‘I Could Get 10 Friends And Beat Them’ – Pundit Brutally Rips Into ‘Terrible’ Bafana
Former England striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has launched a scathing attack on Bafana Bafana, labeling South Africa “terrible” following their disappointing 2-0 defeat to co-hosts Mexico in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Hugo Broos’ side deployed a negative, defensive five-at-the-back system at a raucous Estadio Azteca, but tactical errors and a costly red card doomed their tournament opener on Thursday.
What went wrong for Bafana Bafana against Mexico?
South Africa’s defensive game plan unraveled almost immediately. Midfielder Sphephelo Sithole endured a nightmare performance, losing possession in a dangerous area in the ninth minute after failing to scan his surroundings. Mexican forward Julián Quiñones capitalised on the error, firing the co-hosts into an early lead.
Sithole’s afternoon went from bad to worse just after the interval. In the 49th minute, the midfielder was shown a straight red card for a desperate trip on Brian Gutiérrez as the last man, leaving Bafana to play nearly the entire second half with 10 men.
Mexico seamlessly ramped up the pressure against the depleted South Africans. The definitive blow arrived heading into the final half-hour, when veteran striker Raúl Jiménez capped off his first-ever World Cup finals start by converting an inviting Roberto Alvarado delivery at the back post.
What was Gabriel Agbonlahor’s reaction to South Africa’s performance?
Speaking on TalkSport alongside co-host Jason Cundy, Agbonlahor pulled no punches when assessing Bafana Bafana’s technical display.
“South Africa, I’m not being disrespectful mate, but I really think I could get 10 of my friends together and beat them,” Agbonlahor told listeners.
“The scary thing is, they are not even going to be the worst team in the tournament. New Zealand is ranked lowest, Haiti just above them, Panama, and Curacao. But South Africa couldn’t string a few passes together. Lyle Foster—I expected a lot from him after his time with Burnley in the Premier League—he did absolutely nothing. He looked nervous and kept passing the ball straight out of play.”
Agbonlahor was particularly critical of South Africa’s insistence on playing out from the back under intense Mexican pressure, questioning the decision-making of both the technical bench and captain Ronwen Williams.
“There will be a 10-0 scoreline at this World Cup, I guarantee you, mate,” Agbonlahor continued.
“If that South Africa team was in the same group as England, France or Brazil, it would be 10-0. We are going to see some stinkers.
“South Africa kept trying to play out from the back. They had two players against six Mexican defenders and midfielders — you are going to lose the ball anyway.
“I love the modern game of football, but certain teams need to be realistic. It’s like a UEFA Conference League side playing against a Premier League team.”
Can Bafana Bafana still qualify for the knockout stages?
While South Africa’s loss has drawn heavy criticism, the 2026 World Cup has already thrown up even heavier scorelines. Elsewhere in the opening rounds, the USA thrashed Paraguay 4-1, Germany dismantled Curacao 7-1, and Sweden thumped Tunisia 5-1.
Agbonlahor warns that things could get worse for teams trying to overplay. “There will be a 10-0 in this World Cup, I guarantee you. If that South Africa team were in the same group as England, France, or Brazil, it would be 10-0. It’s like a UEFA Conference League side playing against a Premier League giant.”
Bafana Bafana must now quickly pick themselves up from the wreckage of the Azteca.
Hugo Broos’ men travel to Atlanta on Thursday to face the Czech Republic in what has already become a do-or-die, must-win fixture.
Failure to secure three points in the United States will almost certainly mean packing their bags for an early flight back home.
Additionally, they will be playing against a Czech side that lost to South Korea on Friday morning.
