South Africa national team coach Hugo Broos has confirmed he will retire from football management after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, bringing the curtain down on a decorated coaching career spanning more than four decades.
The 73-year-old Belgian tactician, who took charge of Bafana Bafana in May 2021, led the team to a third-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast—South Africa’s best result at the tournament since winning it in 1996.
Broos told reporters his mind is made up.
“The decision is made. After the World Cup, I will stop. My contract will be finished, and I will stop as a coach,” he said.
“I’ve been in football for nearly 40 years, and I’m 73. There comes a moment when you have to stop. I won’t die on the bench.”
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Currently, South Africa lead their World Cup qualifying group that has Super Eagles of Nigeria with 13 points and are well positioned to reach the 2026 tournament, which would mark a fitting finale for Broos’ managerial career.
Bross Hoisted by his Bafana Bafana of South Africa players after winning bronze medal at 2024 AFCON
Beyond Africa, Broos is widely respected for his achievements in European football. During a highly successful spell with Club Brugge from 1991 to 1998, he won the Belgian league title twice (1992 and 1996) and lifted the Belgian Cup three times (1991, 1995, and 1996).
He later managed Anderlecht between 2002 and 2005, winning the Belgian First Division in the 2003–04 season and guiding the team into the UEFA Champions League.
Hugo Broos, coach of Cameroon hoisted by players in celebration after the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final match between Egypt and Cameroon in Libreville, Gabon. Photo Credit:X
Broos is a four-time recipient of the prestigious Belgian Coach of the Year award—twice with Club Brugge, once with Anderlecht, and again in 2007 while managing KRC Genk.
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His continental legacy was cemented when he led Cameroon to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations title, earning praise for building a competitive team from limited resources.
Broos’ time with South Africa has been marked by a strong emphasis on youth and tactical discipline, traits he hopes will carry Bafana Bafana to the global stage in 2026.
