South Africa's coach Hugo Broos has officially announced his departure from his position.
Hugo Broos left the South African national team after 5 years, the longest tenure of any coach in the history of Bafana Bafana.
Broos succeeded in leading the South African national team to win the bronze medal and third place in the World Cup, as well as qualifying for the round of 32 in the World Cup.
Hugo Broos delivered a farewell speech at his final press conference.
Broos's speech was as follows:
Periods of absence from my family and moments of loneliness in South Africa prompted me to make this difficult decision; qualifying for the World Cup—after 40 years since my participation as a player with the Belgian national team in the 1986 edition—made the scene complete, and for this reason, I will not extend my contract; I have been clear about the path I wanted to follow since accepting the mission, and despite the harsh criticism I faced, I enjoyed the support of a wonderful staff.
It has been an amazing few years for me, filled with milestones and unique moments; I worked with people who are the best in their field, and with individuals who were strangers and then became lifelong friends. I would like to thank them for everything, for without them all this would not have been achieved; throughout my thirty-year coaching career, I have never felt such a great amount of respect and gratitude. I will cherish these people for the rest of my life.
I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to the team and their dedication; I also thank the players for the trust they placed in me, both as a coach and as a person.
Together, we succeeded in establishing the distinctive identity of "Bafana Bafana," and we achieved notable accomplishments including winning the bronze medal in Africa, reaching the second round of the World Cup, and delivering many wonderful matches.
We have brought football back to life in South Africa, and the fans have returned to fill the stands, delighting this wonderful country.
Today, the "Bafana Bafana" team ranks 54th in the world rankings, and it now stands at a crossroads; the team has proven that it has made great strides toward establishing its prestigious position on the African continent. It is now necessary to give players in South Africa opportunities to participate in high-level competitions, raise standards in the local league and in management methods, as well as the need for players to adopt a more professional mindset.
From the bottom of my heart, I hope things go well for the team, and that the necessary steps are taken to continue development and improvement.
I also wish every success to whoever succeeds me in this mission, and I hope they succeed in taking that final and important step.
I would also like to thank the Minister of Sports for his unconditional support, enthusiasm, and commitment to the team.
Last but not least, I extend my thanks to Mr. Danny Jordaan, President of the South African Football Association, for his absolute support and trust in me as a coach throughout the past five years; I will never forget that moment when I spoke with him while I was in doubt about my future as a permanent coach for the "Bafana Bafana" team, when he said to me: "No matter what they say or write, I know what you are doing; continue your work, you have my full support." That was the beginning of a wonderful journey.
