Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi says he’s excited about the national team and applauded the work of head coach Hugo Broos.
Broos has overseen a dramatic turnaround in the fortunes of the South Africa national team he inherited after failing to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
This after the Molefi Ntseki-led side failed to secure a draw on the final day of qualification, away to Sudan. And while it’s not been sunshine and roses from day one, the numbers speak for themselves after his 40th game in charge saw them finish their 2025 AFCON Group K qualifying group unbeaten and on top.
Added to the bronze medal from AFCON 2023, and in a positive position to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the sold-out arenas across the country, where Broos is unbeaten at home since his appointment in May 2021, tell it’s own story.
“The national team qualifying for AFCON again, in such a very pleasing manner, I am very excited, and any South Africa who would not be excited with what is happening with the national team now? There’s something wrong with that person,” he said.
“At the moment, I think we’ve reached a stage where we can be confident and brag about our national team because they’re giving exactly what the nation would have required from them.
“They are scoring goals, winning matches convincingly. Personally, I’m very excited about what the national team is doing and what coach Hugo Broos has also done, he’s faced a lot of criticism in the past when people didn’t understand what he was trying to do.
“But I think he’s proven so many people wrong. Sometimes in life, you must accept it’s God’s way – sometimes God, when he wants to put you on the podium, he doesn’t want you to be at the podium when there are no spectators.
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“When you face these trials and tribulations and people doubt the capacity of Hugo Broos and when he does what he does, everyone becomes the audience.
“We must applaud the work he’s done with the team because he’s come from a position where not many people thought he’d do so much and it’s exciting.”
South Africa will be back in action in March 2025 when they host Lesotho and travel away to Benin for the next round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
