Departing Coach Broos Urges South Africa to Boost 'Power and Speed' After World Cup Exit

South Africa's journey in the FIFA World Cup ended in the Round of 32 after a stoppage-time goal by Canada, but the team's performance exceeded low expectations. Despite being written off after a poor start, the side reached the knockout stage for the first time in 16 years, a feat coach Hugo Broos described as commendable given limited resources.

Broos, who is stepping down after the tournament, acknowledged his team's shortcomings in attack, having scored only two goals in four matches. He praised their mentality but highlighted areas for improvement. 'It is sore now because we wanted to win today. It's a disappointment,' Broos said after the 1-0 defeat in Los Angeles. 'But we have to be honest, we did very well for our first time in the World Cup after 16 years.'

The 74-year-old Belgian, who led Cameroon to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2017, pointed to the physical demands of the game. 'They have two important traits in power and speed. We hoped we had an answer for that but it was not always the fact,' he told FIFA. 'You saw situations in the game that we could not follow... We have to work on power and speed in South Africa.'

Broos's tenure saw South Africa finish third in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, but the World Cup exposed a lack of cutting edge up front. The team managed just two goals in four games, one from the penalty spot, reflecting a broader issue in their attacking play. Despite this, Broos expressed pride in his squad for defying expectations and reaching the second round.