Hugo Broos Reveals He Nearly Stayed As Bafana Bafana Coach After 2026 FIFA World Cup
- Hugo Broos admitted he changed his mind about leaving Bafana Bafana multiple times in the final week before his last match
- SAFA president Danny Jordaan personally told Broos he was welcome to return on his own terms, adding to the pressure on the coach
- The former Club Brugge head coach said he ultimately could not bring himself to propose staying after already announcing his retirement
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Hugo Broos has admitted that he came within days of reversing his retirement decision, revealing the intense personal and emotional pressure he faced in the lead-up to his final match as Bafana Bafana head coach.
The Belgian coach had long maintained that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would mark the end of his tenure with the national side.
Broos underestimated the pull to stay
Speaking to Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, however, Broos disclosed that the reality of leaving proved far more difficult than he had anticipated.
"I underestimated it. The closer the end came, the more people asked me not to stop," Broos told Het Nieuwsblad.
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The coach described how people in his immediate working environment would be directly affected by his exit, including his personal driver, who stood to lose his job once Broos returned to Belgium. That weight, combined with appeals from those around the squad, was enough to make him reconsider a decision he had already made public.
Broos went as far as raising the matter with his wife before arriving at a final answer.
Danny Jordaan's open invitation
What pushed Broos closest to a U-turn was a conversation with South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan, who left the door explicitly open for him. "The federation president even said: 'We understand that you miss your family. Just write down when you want to come,'" Broos recalled.
That exchange took place shortly before his final fixture, and Broos confirmed it prompted serious reflection. "So only a week before the match did I consider returning to South Africa," he said.
Despite Jordaan's openness, Broos found himself unable to act on it. Having already announced his departure, he felt it would be inappropriate to request another opportunity. "But I couldn't bring myself to suggest that. I was embarrassed to propose it," he said.
Broos ultimately made peace with his original decision, concluding that the 2026 World Cup was the appropriate moment to end his tenure. His time in charge of the national team was marked by notable achievements, including a third-place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations and South Africa reaching the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup for the first time in the country's history.
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Source: Briefly News
