“We Were Afraid”: Mofokeng Lifts The Lid On Bafana’s Nervous World Cup Tactics Against Mexico
Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Relebohile Mofokeng has reflected on Bafana Bafana’s defensive approach against Mexico in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, revealing that the back-five formation was primarily adopted to protect the team against the tournament co-hosts.
The new Union Saint-Gilloise player was an unused substitute as South Africa suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mexico in their opening Group A encounter.
Coach Hugo Broos opted for an unfamiliar tactical setup, deploying a back five in an attempt to contain the hosts.
The decision sparked widespread debate among supporters, with many questioning the approach and expressing concerns over the coach’s tactical choices.
“Obviously it was our first game, our first World Cup, the nerves obviously,” said Mofokeng.
“So I think us going with a back five was not because we were afraid or anything. It was the first game, and everyone was going to be watching it. We didn’t want to lose that game. We had to defend. The most important thing was for them not to score against us because the nerves were telling us that we had to defend.
“And watching the Mexican side, they are a very good team; they have very good players. So going into that game, we had to defend our goal. It didn’t go as planned, but we can’t blame anyone because we all had nerves and we were all afraid.”
Bafana responded well after the opening defeat, holding Czechia to a draw in their second Group A match before beating South Korea in their final group fixture to reach the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time in the nation’s history.
Their campaign came to an end in the round of 16, where another co-host, Canada, secured a 1-0 victory with a late goal in Atlanta.
Mofokeng believes the team’s confidence grew with each match despite the disappointing start.
“It’s our first World Cup and there was pressure and all those things. I think the first game was not a disaster for the whole tournament because in our second game we improved from the first game. If you watch the first game and compare it to the last game, you will see the difference because our confidence improved as the tournament went on. If you don’t have confidence, it becomes a bit tricky because you won’t go all out.”
Mofokeng has frequently been asked about his preferred position, with Broos previously stating that the youngster is more effective as an attacking midfielder than as a winger.
The 21-year-old agrees with that assessment and believes he performs best as a No. 10.
“I think I do best in the No. 10 position,” Mofokeng said.
Mofokeng will now be hoping to establish himself in that role and produce his best football at his new club, Union Saint-Gilloise.
