Hugo Broos has officially concluded his career with the South African national team, announcing his departure from the head coach position during an emotional press conference held at SAFA House on Friday.
The 74-year-old Belgian, who helped South Africa return to the international stage for the first time since 2010, confirmed that he will also be retiring from football, thus ending a coaching journey spanning more than four decades. Broos, holding back tears, addressed the media representatives, putting an end to months of speculation regarding his future.
The coach stated that the prolonged absence from his family and the solitary moments spent in South Africa led to his decision not to extend his cooperation with the national team. He noted: 'My long absence from my family and the solitary moments in South Africa led me to make this difficult decision.' He added that reaching the World Cup 40 years after his participation with the Belgian national team in 1986 'closed the circle,' so he will not renew his contract with Bafana Bafana.
Bafana Bafana
Broos is leaving South African football, leaving behind one of the most successful periods in the team's recent history. Since taking charge in 2021, he restored faith in Bafana Bafana and guided the team through two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, while also helping the country overcome a 16-year gap before participating in the FIFA World Cup.
His last mission was at the 2026 World Cup in North America, where South Africa reached the 32-team stage before losing to Canada, marking the country's best World Cup campaign since the tournament in 2010. Beyond sporting results, Broos will be remembered for rebuilding the national team around a younger generation and restoring it with a competitive identity that had been lacking for years.
SAFA President Danny Jordan expressed gratitude to the departing coach for the impact he made on South African football. He stated: 'Thank you, Coach Broos. Your leadership truly brought confidence and passion to our National Team. You really put us back on the map, not only on the African continent but globally... We will forever cherish your contribution.'
SAFA CEO Lydia Mponepa supported these words, noting that Broos transformed the fate of the national team during his five years of work. She emphasized: 'When you arrived in 2021, Bafana was not playing at the level it should have been, and this was evident from public comments and declining stadium attendance. You brought a clear vision and a specific goal to restore the team to a position of pride and competitiveness.'
Attention now shifts to finding a successor within SAFA, as the new coach is expected to take the reins ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in September. The new leader will inherit a squad that returned to the continent and reasserted itself on the world stage after qualifying for the World Cup. For Broos, however, Friday marked the end of a remarkable chapter.
He arrived in South Africa with a reputation built on leading Cameroon to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations title, and he leaves having revitalized the successes of Bafana Bafana, restored faith among fans, and brought the national team back to the main football stage. Returning to Belgium to begin his retirement, Broos leaves a legacy that few foreign coaches have managed to achieve in South African football.
