Ramaphosa Consoles Heartbroken Bafana Stars After World Cup Axe: “Your Country Is Proud of You”
- President Cyril Ramaphosa praised the six players who missed out on Hugo Broos’ final FIFA World Cup squad
- South Africans were divided after the emotional squad announcement at the Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria
- Fans defended stars like Brandon Petersen and Patrick Maswanganyi while others applauded the President’s gesture
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Source: Twitter
President Cyril Ramaphosa has sparked mixed reactions after comforting the six players who were dropped from Bafana Bafana’s final 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.
The emotional moment unfolded during the Bafana Bafana FIFA World Cup send-off dinner at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria on Wednesday, 27 May. Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli later shared the President’s message on X.
“Well done for making it this far. Your country is proud of you. You are exceptional,” Ramaphosa told the players.
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The six players cut from coach Hugo Broos’ final 26-man squad were Brandon Petersen, Thabiso Monyane, Lebohang Maboe, Brooklyn Poggenpoel, Patrick Maswanganyi and Thapelo Morena.
Ramaphosa’s message divides South Africans
The President’s comments quickly triggered debate online. Some supporters praised the gesture and described it as fatherly leadership, while others felt the public nature of the announcement humiliated the players.
X user @FcChauke wrote:
“That’s leadership, that’s being fatherly.”
Another user, @Girlgirl_64, criticised the process, saying:
“They must never do this to our brothers again, it’s dehumanising, disgraceful and painful.”
@Mneva1 suggested the players should remain on standby in case of injuries during the tournament.
“You can see Tito’s face, he’s not happy at all,” added @BillzDaOriginal, referring to Maswanganyi.
Some fans also questioned why the players were invited to the high-profile event before the final cuts were confirmed.
Hugo Broos explains difficult squad decisions
Broos admitted on Thursday, 28 May, that selecting the final squad had been stressful and emotional.
“It’s not my heart that decides, it’s always my brain,” Broos explained while discussing the omission of injured Mamelodi Sundowns star Morena.
The Belgian coach revealed that Morena’s injury scan results only arrived hours before the final decision was made.
Broos also explained why Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen was left out despite impressing during camp.
“It’s not a question of quality, it’s just integration,” the coach said.
He added that Petersen had only trained with the squad for two days, making it difficult to fully assess his fit within the group.
Source: Instagram
Bafana Bafana target history at FIFA World Cup
Despite the controversy surrounding the final squad selection, Broos remains confident that South Africa can progress beyond the group stage for the first time in history.
“We can write history and we are ready to fight for it,” he said.
Bafana Bafana will face Nicaragua in a final friendly before departing for their World Cup base in Mexico.
The squad announcement may have left heartbreak behind, but many South Africans are now hoping the players who made the cut can reward the nation’s belief on football’s biggest stage.
Ronwen Williams comforts heartbroken Bafana teammates after World Cup cuts
Briefly News also reported that Ronwen Williams earned widespread praise after comforting devastated teammates who missed out on Bafana Bafana’s final FIFA World Cup squad.
A viral clip showed the captain embracing players moments after Hugo Broos confirmed the final 26-man squad, with many South Africans praising Williams for showing leadership, compassion and unity during an emotional moment.
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Source: Briefly News
