Can Bafana Bafana break World Cup history against South Korea?
FIFA
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.
Image: BackpagePix
As Bafana Bafana prepares for their decisive World Cup clash against South Korea, coach Hugo Broos will, over the next 48 hours, become the most talked-about man in South Africa and the wider football world regardless of his side’s result in their final Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The must-win match for South Africa will be played at the Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Mexico, on Thursday morning (3am SAST).
Bafana need a straight win to rewrite South African football history by becoming the first senior men’s side to advance beyond the World Cup group stage.
To say the returns have been low for Bafana in the ongoing tournament would be putting things mildly. They go into this crucial match with just a single point and one goal to show for their storied journey to the Americas, having been rooted to the bottom of the group since day one.
Their struggles began with a 2-0 defeat to co-hosts Mexico, followed by a 1–1 draw with Czechia. Consequently, much of the media coverage surrounding Bafana’s World Cup quest has been negative, heavily questioning Broos’s tactics, which have been labelled defensive, if not plain cowardly.
Indeed, the hype that made the opener between Bafana and Mexico one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament quickly evaporated on the day, replaced by fierce criticism. That match was highly anticipated because it was a direct repeat of the 2010 FIFA World Cup opener in South Africa, where Bafana hosted Mexico 16 years ago.
Some fans even went as far as calling that anniversary "Siphiwe Tshabalala Day" - a homage to the scorer of that iconic first World Cup goal that got the whole of Africa dancing in 2010.
However, in the opening match of this campaign, the 73-year-old Belgian coach attracted heavy criticism by starting eight defensive-minded players, comprising five natural defenders, one defensive midfielder, and two central midfielders.
The result was a disappointing 2–0 loss - a match that the same Bafana side that topped their qualifying group should have won, or at the very least, drawn.
Following intense online backlash, Broos adapted his approach for the second match, securing a hard-fought draw against Czechia, though critics argue he was still holding back.
Now, with Mamelodi Sundowns veterans Teboho Mokoena and Themba Zwane both suspended, Broos faces his toughest test yet in Guadalupe.
He stands on a knife-edge, just 90 minutes away from being remembered either as a hero who led Bafana to the knockout stages for the first time, or a villain who played with fear and timidity when he had absolutely nothing to lose.
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