Hugo Broos reflects on African journey as retirement nears

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has found his happy place on the continent, and that’s why it will be emotional for him to leave after the Fifa World Cup 2026.

Broos arrived in Africa in 2016 when he took over the reins of the Cameroonian national team, where he made an instant impact by winning the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2017.

It was, however, with Bafana that he became a fully-fledged coach on the continent. He has led the country to back-to-back AFCON tournaments, including a third-place finish in the last continental showpiece, which was held in Ivory Coast early last year.

Recently, he restored the country’s pride by qualifying for the global showpiece, which will be held in the US, Canada and Mexico next year.

This event will mark a full circle in his career, as he will have both played and coached at the World Cup. That’s why the Belgian has decided to retire after the tournament, bringing an end to an illustrious career.

He has reflected on his tenure with deep gratitude toward African coaches, including his assistant Helman Mkhalele, whom he believes was instrumental to his success. That’s why he’s campaigning for Mkhalele to succeed him.

Broos explained that it wasn’t love at first sight when he first encountered African players abroad.

“I have learned to work with Africans, and I don’t have to tell you that there’s a difference between Africans and Europeans,” Broos said. “In Europe, I played with Africans and also coached them.

"We always had problems with them because of their mentality, and they would return four days late after national team duty. We had a certain idea about Africans.”

Broos revealed how his perspective has changed over the years, especially since his current technical team is mostly African, starting with Mkhalele.

“The way I saw them started to change a little when I was in Cameroon for two years, and it changed a lot after four years in South Africa,” Broos said. “When you understand an African, you can’t find a nicer person.

"You have to accept their negative qualities, just as I have mine. If you can truly connect with an African, he’s the nicest person to work with. After four years in South Africa, I’ve learned how to work with Africans.”

Broos isn’t only grateful to his technical team but also to his players. He knows that they – not the backroom staff – play the game.

He has shown great trust and belief in his squad, often relying on local-based players. He had a largely domestic squad at the last AFCON and fielded only local players in the crucial, must-win World Cup qualifier against Rwanda.

The warmth and reception he has received during his time in South Africa have left a lasting impression on him. He even defends Africans in conversations with friends back home.

“They are never angry – they always laugh. And when you motivate them, they go beyond their limits for you,” Broos explained. “If you guide them the right way, all the other issues disappear.

I had a lot of problems here in my first year, but that has since changed. When I’m in Belgium and talk to my friends about my experiences here, they say, ‘ah, those Africans!’ But I tell them, ‘no, it’s not the same’.”