Broos warns Mosimane of major challenge in possible Bafana return

Hugo Broos has identified Pitso Mosimane as the leading candidate for the vacant South Africa job, but warned that the former Bafana Bafana coach would face pressure from club owners and agents over team selection.

Broos said Mosimane’s possible return could mean confronting the same influence he worked to remove during his time in charge. The Belgian maintained that he excluded club owners and agents from football decisions, refusing to engage with representatives who tried to shape his squad choices.

That approach was part of the principles Broos believes defined his tenure with South Africa. He also recalled an earlier incident at Mouscron, where an agent offered him money after the club signed Marcin and Michal Zewlakow. Broos rejected the payment and later handed an envelope containing the money to the club chairman.

The 74-year-old is stepping away from coaching after guiding Bafana Bafana through the 2026 World Cup cycle. Family considerations influenced the decision, while he also felt that preparing training sessions and scouting opponents had begun to require more effort than before. He decided that the World Cup would provide the right point to end his coaching career.

Broos leaves after South Africa reached the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations and finished third, while also progressing beyond the group stage for the first time. He said the response he received in the final weeks of his tenure was especially meaningful after almost six decades in professional football as a player and coach.

Although Broos has said his coaching career is effectively over, he still misses football and is open to a different role. He expects the quiet of retirement could eventually become difficult, despite currently enjoying the absence of travel, phone calls and daily coaching demands. South Africa, meanwhile, remains without a head coach as Mosimane’s potential return continues to be considered.