Hugo Broos Calls for South African Players to Join European Clubs for Bafana Bafana’s Growth
In the wake of a disappointing exit from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), South Africa’s national football coach, Hugo Broos, has emphasised that moving players to strong European leagues is essential for enhancing the competitiveness of Bafana Bafana. The team returned home on Wednesday, landing at OR Tambo International Airport after a 2-1 defeat to Cameroon that saw them knocked out in the last 16.
Reflecting on their performance in Morocco, Broos acknowledged the pressing need to elevate the standard of warm-up friendlies as the team prepares for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, scheduled for June and July. Many analysts have called for the South African Football Association to arrange for more challenging and diverse opposition in friendly matches, rather than relying on “Cosafa countries” such as Zambia. Bafana had enjoyed a 3-1 victory over Zambia in a warm-up match, as well as a close 1-0 win against a local Ghana B side prior to their departure for Afcon. Despite optimism surrounding the team's bronze medal performance at the previous year's tournament in Ivory Coast, Broos believes the path to improvement is more complex.
While acknowledging the value of friendly matches, Broos expressed doubt that simply playing stronger teams will significantly raise Bafana's standard. He pointed out the disparity in the calibre of players that South Africa faced at Afcon, highlighting that most of the teams featured players who are well-established in European leagues. “When you see all those teams we played, they are teams with players who play in Europe — we don’t have that. And that is a disadvantage for South Africa,” he stated.
Broos elaborated on this point by mentioning countries like Angola, which also has players based in Europe, signalling a broader trend. He further characterised Cameroon as a newly formed powerhouse since their football association president, Samuel Eto’o, revitalised the national team. “You see where those players are playing — there’s a striker playing at [Bayer] Leverkusen, he’s 19 years old,” he noted.
The coach stressed the necessity for South African players to face tougher challenges in their club careers. “This is the opportunity our players need to have because they need to be challenged more,” he insisted. The substantial gap between the level of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and international competition is troubling to Broos. “And you can only make that gap smaller when you have players who are playing in very difficult conditions [for their clubs],” he added.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says the team was at a disadvantage because some of the teams that were at the AFCON have most of their players playing in European leagues. He says SA players need to get the opportunity to go to Europe and be challenged more. @Yolulwe_Qoshe… pic.twitter.com/YBRloVTqc6
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) January 7, 2026
Broos's perspective sheds light not only on the challenges faced by Bafana Bafana but also on the choices available to local players. Players associated with the Betway Premiership often earn competitive salaries comparable to those in smaller European leagues, such as those in Scandinavia, Belgium, and Portugal. The comfort of familiar home conditions often outweighs the allure of navigating the hardships of adjusting to a foreign environment, contributing to the reluctance of talented South African players to seek opportunities abroad.
Despite their mixed performance in group play, Bafana successfully advanced as runners-up from Group B in the Afcon tournament. The team recorded a couple of wins against Angola and Zimbabwe but found themselves unable to sustain a high level of play, ultimately losing 1-0 to a depleted Egypt team.
Looking ahead, South Africa has been drawn into Group A for Fifa’s historic 48-team World Cup, alongside Mexico, South Korea, and an as-yet undetermined European qualifier. The opening match is set to take place at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on 11 June. Preparation for this monumental event will commence with friendly matches starting in March, and Broos remains hopeful that his players will seize the opportunity to develop their skills in more competitive environments.
As the national team looks towards the future, the emphasis remains on nurturing local talent and expanding their horizons to maximise their potential on the global stage. The quest for improvement will undoubtedly hinge on the willingness of South African players to embrace more challenging club experiences across Europe.
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