'He deserves the highest recognition, (for) the belief he has shown in this team from the first day,' said the Bafana captain.
Ronwen Williams (right) and Hugo Broos celebrate after Bafana secure qualification to the knockout rounds of the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Picture: Backpagepix
Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams says head coach Hugo Broos should have a statue built in his honour, after South Africa qualified for the knockout stages of a Fifa World Cup finals for the first time.
Bafana’s Williams – ‘He deserves a statue’
Bafana’s 1-0 win over South Korea at Monterrey Stadium on Wednesday evening was enough to secure second place in Group A and a clash with Canada at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in the last 32 on Sunday.
“He deserves a statue,” said Williams after the game.
“He deserves the highest recognition, (for) the belief he has shown in this team from the first day.
“Sometimes we don’t have the belief we can win games and achieve things and he always tells us we can. Each and every day when our backs are against the wall, when people are criticising us, he is always there.
“As much as this is for 62 million South Africans, this is for coach Hugo.”
Broos has also spoken about the special bond between himself and his players.
“Don’t forget this journey started five years ago. There was a lot of criticism (then), people didn’t understand what we were doing, until the moment we started having results,” said Broos after Wednesday’s win.
“I have always had belief in this group, even in the past weeks when the critics were hard (on us).”
Bafana did not look like they had much chance of making the last 32 after a poor performance in a 2-0 loss to Mexico in their opening match on June 11. But a late penalty earned them a 1-1 draw with Czechia and they saved their best performance so far for South Korea.
“I never doubted this group, they have already given me so much,” added Broos.
“I was nearly sure we would get a good result today. You saw the guys working and fighting for every ball today, they wanted to be in the next round. It is a combination between me as a coach and them as players. Maybe it is something unique. I am their coach but not only their coach. I am their friend. The relationship between me and the players is very good and I am happy for them.”
Broos – ‘All the big mouths’
Broos has been less enamoured with his side’s critics.
“I think we gave an answer to all the big mouths last week who thought we had to change and told us what we had to do,” said the 74 year-old Belgian.
“I just did what I wanted and this is the result.”
This could be seen as slightly disingenuous from Broos. Critics after the Mexico game were mainly pointing out that the Bafana coach had erred with his tactics in the opening match.
He played a back five in the Azteca Stadium which he had done rarely, and without much success, in his time as head coach.
After the Mexico game, Broos went to a back four against both Czechia and South Korea. On top of this, Bafana lacked creativity from midfield against Mexico. There was no one to link the play and Iqraam Rayners and Lyle Foster were isolated in attack.
Bafana only really improved when Broos brought on Relebohile Mofokeng at half time against Czechia, again a move many had already been calling for.
Mofokeng’s ability to find pockets of space in between the lines helped Bafana have far more fluidity in attack. And they were ultimately able to build enough pressure to force a penalty.
The Pirates wizard then played from the start against South Korea and was again hugely influential. His ability to drop into pockets of space and his eye for a pass set up several chances for Bafana before Thapelo Maseko netted the winning goal in the 63rd minute.
