‘Results Didn’t Matter’ — Broos Fires Back At Critics Worried Over Bafana’s North American Slump
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has revealed that failing to secure positive results in the recent international friendlies was not a major concern, as his primary objective was to better understand the style of play of teams from the Americas.
South Africa failed to register a victory in their recent friendly matches against Panama and Nicaragua. The disappointing results have raised concerns among supporters about the national team’s readiness for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
However, Broos insisted that the results were less important than the opportunity to assess his players and gain a clearer understanding of the playing style they are likely to encounter against Mexico in their tournament opener.
“It was good. The fact that we played against Nicaragua and Panama,” said Broos.
“These are American teams, just like Mexico. So, for us, it was very important to play against those teams because, over the last four years, we have only played against African teams. The style of play is very different.
“So, for me, the results were not really important. What was very important was understanding the style and way of playing. It was very good for us to face American teams and have proper preparation for the game on Thursday.”
South Africa will take on Mexico at Mexico City Stadium on Thursday, with kick-off scheduled for 9pm South African time.
