Time to trust Hugo Broos and Bafana Bafana’s World Cup process

Five years can either be a long or short time in football, depending on how you look at it. However, given that Hugo Broos built Bafana Bafana from the ground up, it has been enough time for the masses to understand that he – and no one else – runs the team.

Broos announced his 32-member preliminary squad for the upcoming 2026 Fifa World Cup on Thursday. His selection was understandably met with mixed emotions – some criticised him for being biased, while others applauded him for sticking with his trusted core.

When it comes to squad selection, everyone was always going to have an opinion, including myself. I am choosing to reserve judgment until the end of the campaign, when the overall pros and cons can be properly assessed.

For now, though, no opinion matters except Broos’, as he will select his final 26-man squad on May 27 from the provisional list already submitted to Fifa.

The football fraternity should therefore refrain from dwelling on “what ifs” and “he should have” debates, because nothing can be done to reverse the situation. Instead, the focus should be on rallying behind the team and the coach.

Broos and Bafana are not where they are by chance. They have proven to be a match made in heaven, especially after the Belgian initially complained about receiving little support during the early days of rebuilding the sleeping giant.

As such, I strongly believe that with the same intention of turning Bafana into a formidable force when he took over in May 2021 – despite being labelled an unpopular appointment chasing one last payday – he will lead the team confidently in North America.

The World Cup has been the pinnacle both Broos and Bafana have long wanted to reach, despite only joining forces five years ago.

Broos had never coached at the tournament before, despite representing Belgium as a player at the 1986 World Cup – coincidentally in Mexico, who Bafana will face in their opening match on June 11. Bafana, meanwhile, are set to return to the tournament for the first time since hosting it 16 years ago, when they also faced Mexico in the opener on June 11.

While Broos seeks to complete a full circle in his career, he also wants to lay a foundation for his successor to continue building a strong Bafana side after his expected retirement following the World Cup.

That is why it is understandable that he would stick with his tried-and-tested players, as well as those he believes represent the future of the national team.

Youngsters such as Relebohile Mofokeng, Oswin Appollis and Tshepang Moremi, who have become regulars in Bafana squads, have carried the team in recent years. It would therefore seem harsh to discard them simply because more experienced players are thriving elsewhere.

Again, Broos clearly wants to reward the loyalty and support of the players who backed his vision when the project started. That is why he cannot simply cast aside someone like Themba Zwane just because a younger, exciting player is performing elsewhere.

Broos remains fiercely competitive, so expect his side to fight in North America. Although he previously urged the nation not to expect qualification for the knockout stages, he has recently sounded increasingly confident about Bafana’s chances of pushing themselves further.

Given how far the team has come, that is all supporters can ask for – effort. Many doubted we would ever be saying “America, here we come”. Yet here we are, which is why it is time to trust Broos and trust the process.

The completion of Broos’ final chapter with Bafana could ultimately lay the foundation for the team’s continued success long after his departure.