Bafana Bafana football coach Hugo Broos has suggested he may reverse his decision to retire from coaching following South Africa’s heart-breaking World Cup exit to Canada in Los Angeles.

The seventy-four-year-old Belgian had announced months ago that he would quit football after a three-decade coaching career once Bafana Bafana were eliminated from the tournament. However, speaking at his post-match press conference on Sunday, Broos appeared to backtrack on the decision.

“It is not clever to make decisions when you are disappointed, so I will not do it here,” he said.

South Africa’s World Cup campaign ended in crushing fashion when Canada’s Stephen Eustaquio scored a 92nd-minute winner to seal a 1-0 victory in the last-32 stage, denying Bafana Bafana a place in the round of 16.

A South African Football Association insider hinted that Broos may now be reconsidering his future with the national team.

“Hugo may continue as head coach or fill some other role, such as scouting and watching South Africans playing in Europe,” the source said.

Broos has been widely credited with transforming South African football since taking charge in 2021. He inherited a team that attracted fewer than 200 spectators to a goalless friendly against Botswana in Johannesburg, and turned them into World Cup qualifiers after a 16-year absence from the tournament.

Before travelling to North America, South Africa drew a capacity 50 000 crowd for a warm-up match against Panama in Cape Town, testament to the renewed interest Broos generated.

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The coach then masterminded a historic Group A win over South Korea, taking South Africa to the knockout stage for the first time in their World Cup history after three previous first-round exits.

Despite the progress, Broos acknowledged his team were outmatched by co-hosts Canada on Sunday.

“I have said many times that modern football is more than just technique. There is power and speed, and we do not have it in our team yet. Canada had those qualities,” he said.

Broos had previously told AFP he wanted to step away from the game to “spend more time with my wife, children and grandchildren.”

While Canada advance to face the Netherlands or Morocco in Houston on Saturday, South Africa will shift focus to 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, where they share Group D with co-hosts Kenya, Guinea and Eritrea.

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