South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan has paid tribute to outgoing Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos, thanking him for transforming the national team during his five-year tenure.
Broos’ contract officially comes to an end today, bringing to a close a successful period in which he rebuilt Bafana Bafana into a competitive side and helped establish a new generation of international players. Jordaan said the Belgian coach leaves behind a strong foundation but acknowledged that SAFA now faces the challenge of appointing a successor.
“We want to thank him for the contribution that he has made. It’s a huge challenge for us as we part ways and have to find a new driver,” Jordaan said.
He added that maintaining the team’s recent progress would be a priority, particularly with upcoming qualification campaigns.
“We’ve become used to qualifying for the African Cup of Nations now,” he said.
Broos, meanwhile, said he was proud to become the first Bafana Bafana coach in 32 years to complete a full contract with the national team. He attributed that achievement to the team’s success and the strong relationships built throughout his time in South Africa.
Broos said his decision to step down was influenced by the difficulty of spending extended periods away from his family, rather than any dissatisfaction with the role.
“I got big respect and gratitude from the people I worked with from all of South Africa. On one side, I’m very proud and happy of what we achieved together, but on the other side, you have that sad part that I leave this team because I also made friends for life,” he said.
His departure marks the end of one of the most successful coaching spells in Bafana Bafana’s recent history.
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Photo: X/ @BafanaBafana
