Latest news with #HugoBroos
The South African
29-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
OFFICIAL: Bafana Bafana's rising star poached by English giant!
A month after winning player of the tournament at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, Bafana Bafana prospect Tylon Smith has reportedly agreed terms with Championship side Queens Park Rangers. Hailing from Stellenbosch's academy, the 20-year-old defender is expected to soon travel to London to complete his medical. Bafana Bafana are now amongst the best top 10 teams in Africa according to the latest FIFA rankings. Image: X/BafanaBafana Bafana Bafana fans will have to wait until September 1 to cheer on their side. That day, they will take on Lesotho in matchday 7 (out of 10) of the World Cup qualifiers before facing Nigeria a week later. As things stand, South Africa lies at the top of the log, five points ahead of joint second-placed holders Rwanda and Benin. Meanwhile, head coach Hugo Broos made a wild prediction regarding the future of Bafana youngster Relebohile Mofokeng, who is heavily linked with a move abroad following another successful season for the 20-year-old. 'Talking about Mofokeng, I just hope that he makes the right decisions. And that he is not going to a team where he won't play,' said Broos. 'I see all the things around, Barcelona and Rangers and… (sighs) I'm a little bit afraid. I just hope that the people around make the choice of the best sportive solution and not the best financial solution. 'Okay, I think his parents want the best for him, that's for sure. But there is another guy who wants to win a lot of money also, but that's the problem. But ok, let's hope, maybe I talked too soon about that. 'We'll see. I think in June, Rele will not be a player of Orlando Pirates anymore, but a good choice is very important.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Star
28-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Mokwana, Mailula, Lorch step up as Africa falls short on global stage
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup arrived with much promise for African football, particularly for South Africa as Mamelodi Sundowns carried the hopes of the nation onto the global stage. Alongside them stood continental heavyweights Al Ahly, Wydad Athletic Club, and Esperance de Tunis — four clubs that have dominated African football over the past decade. However, the group stage brought a harsh reality. None of the four African sides progressed to the round of 16, and while there were moments of quality, the early exits laid bare the concerning gap between Africa's best and the rest of the world. It was a tournament that underlined how far African clubs still have to go to match their counterparts in Europe, South America, and parts of Asia. Yet within the overall disappointment, there were bright sparks — none more so than Sundowns. The Premiership champions stood out as the most competitive African side, finishing with four points from their three matches. A thrilling 4-3 loss against Borussia Dortmund, a hard-fought 1-0 win over HD Ulsan, and a resilient goalless stalemate against Brazilian giants Fluminense left them agonisingly short of progression. Still, their performances did more than earn respect — they proved that they have matured into a club capable of standing toe-to-toe with the game's elite. Their showing was not just about results; it was a statement of growth. Years of investment, sound football management, and a focus on developing local and continental talent have made them a standard bearer for African football. For South Africa, the tournament also offered a positive subplot. Several Bafana Bafana players gained vital experience on the global stage — something national coach Hugo Broos will be keen to build on ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations and the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Elias Mokwana The versatile attacker featured in all three matches for Esperance de Tunis in one of the toughest groups of the tournament, facing Chelsea and Flamengo. Their 1-0 win over Los Angeles FC was a highlight, but a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea ended their hopes. Despite the early exit, Mokwana impressed with his work rate and discipline and even though he would have wanted to have a lot more impact for his side, he did just enough to open the door for a few options in the market moving ahead. Cassius Mailula The Wydad forward endured a tough campaign, with the Moroccan side finishing without a point. Still, Mailula made his presence felt, scoring one of Wydad's two goals across the group stage. His loan spell from Toronto FC has been fruitful, and the exposure he gained on the world stage could push the Moroccan side to consider making his move permanent. For a player still on the rise, this experience may prove vital to his long-term development. Thembinkosi Lorch
IOL News
28-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Mokwana, Mailula, Lorch step up as Africa falls short on global stage
Wydad AC footballer Thembinkosi Lorch in action against Juventus at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup arrived with much promise for African football, particularly for South Africa as Mamelodi Sundowns carried the hopes of the nation onto the global stage. Alongside them stood continental heavyweights Al Ahly, Wydad Athletic Club, and Esperance de Tunis — four clubs that have dominated African football over the past decade. However, the group stage brought a harsh reality. None of the four African sides progressed to the round of 16, and while there were moments of quality, the early exits laid bare the concerning gap between Africa's best and the rest of the world. It was a tournament that underlined how far African clubs still have to go to match their counterparts in Europe, South America, and parts of Asia. Yet within the overall disappointment, there were bright sparks — none more so than Sundowns. The Premiership champions stood out as the most competitive African side, finishing with four points from their three matches. A thrilling 4-3 loss against Borussia Dortmund, a hard-fought 1-0 win over HD Ulsan, and a resilient goalless stalemate against Brazilian giants Fluminense left them agonisingly short of progression. Still, their performances did more than earn respect — they proved that they have matured into a club capable of standing toe-to-toe with the game's elite. Their showing was not just about results; it was a statement of growth. Years of investment, sound football management, and a focus on developing local and continental talent have made them a standard bearer for African football. For South Africa, the tournament also offered a positive subplot. Several Bafana Bafana players gained vital experience on the global stage — something national coach Hugo Broos will be keen to build on ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations and the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Elias Mokwana
The South African
16-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
'Coaches make it seem like I'm 38'
Bafana Bafana forward Percy Tau feels he still has a lot to offer and has criticised those who have written him off. The 31-year-old winger has not been at his best for nearly two years. His poor form at the national team forced Hugo Broos to drop him for the first time last year. He made his return to Bafana Bafana earlier this year but struggled to find the back of the net. Speaking to Robert Marawa last week, Percy Tau felt he still had a lot to contribute to the national team. 'I still feel that I can contribute to the country; yes, there are performances that put doubts or questions but that does not make you a bad player at all, and it does not change who I am,' he told 94.7′ s MSW . 'My name will never change; I'm still Percy, and I'll always try and give my best.' 'Yes, there are players that are doing well, but then do you only want to have the younger ones only in the national team and take all the other ones? 'Football is a sport where there are phases, you'll have your lows, you'll have your highs, but then do we kick him out when he's having his lows?' Tau continued. 'I don't feel that should be the approach because we are going to have a problem with what it means to play for the national team. 'And we don't want that to happen to anyone where they are now starting to feel different about going to the national team, like you only support me when I'm doing well. 'I feel that it should always be balanced. You want to have the younger ones, and you want to have the older ones, and by the way, I'm still 31 years old, the coaches make it seem like I'm 38,' said the Bafana star. Percy Tau left Al Ahly earlier this year to play in Qatar, but only lasted four months. The former Mamelodi Sundowns star is now a free agent and expressed his desire to return to the Premier Soccer League (PSL). Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Bafana Bafana's camaraderie leaves Broos with selection headache ahead of World Cup qualifiers
BAFANA Bafana Hugo Broos is looking ahead to the future with excitement after a successful Polokwane camp. | BackpagePix The camaraderie that's brewing at Bafana Bafana with every passing camp pleases coach Hugo Broos who now has a nice selection headache. Bafana's relatively young and new-look team completed an impressive international window at Peter Mokaba Stadium in the last 10 days. They hosted Tanzania to a stalemate in the first international friendly last Friday, before beating Mozambique 2-0 at the same venue on Tuesday night. It turned out to be an impressive camp for Broos and his staff as they had doubts about the team's unity after most players got their maiden call ups. But such is the continuous camaraderie between the Bafana players, who are usually rivals at their domestic clubs, Broos' fears were allayed with no time. 'That (urge to play) will bring the level higher - certainly. The only thing that I want to say, which is amazing, is that there are 23 friends. That is something special,' Broos said. 'I said it already before that it's not easy to be friends with your rival because there are two defenders, (midfielders), strikers and so on. 'This is amazing. After the first two-three days, the conversations started to be louder, laughs were louder and jokes were there. 'So that was nice to see as the coach because you know when that happens off the pitch, you can be sure that on the pitch you have a team as well. 'So I am pretty sure that on Friday and today (Tuesday) we saw that we have a team that plays for each other and tries to win the game. That makes me very happy!' Broos will be happier heading into the next window in September in which they'll face Lesotho and Nigeria in crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. By then, most of the leagues across the globe, including the PSL, will have have resumed for the 2025/2026 season, extending Broos' selection pool. 'Everything is positive about the past week, and this is something that will make my job very difficult in the next months,' the 73-year-old explained. 'When you see that there are 23 players there - you'll see that there are other 23 players who are either with their clubs or at home. You can choose between 40 players. 'This will then become difficult because you have to drop players in September - players who'll probably deserve to be there. 'But okay, I have to make the choice. That, however, also means that players will also be more motivated as they'll know that there'll be guys behind them, waiting to play.' The recent camp was largely made up of Orlando Pirates players due to the fact that their rivals from Mamelodi Sundowns are away on FIFA Club World Cup duties. Sure, Sundowns' troops have been the cornerstone of Bafana in the recent past, but their omission from the recent camp is not the only thing that excites Broos as he maps the future. 'When I said already that the job will bcome more difficult, there are Sundowns players who played a very important role in the past,' Broos said. 'That is not only for the Sundowns players - but little by little the team started to get older. I think when I saw the team selection in March, there were over 13 players over 30 years. 'So that means it's time, little by little, to get the team younger. What we saw now - which was important - is to see how the players will react when they play for Bafana. 'There are some players that we certainly have to keep. Okay, we have to drop others. But I have never been afraid to drop players. 'I think of the collective side of the team, and not the player. We managed to create a good team, so we'll try to do it now also - even when there are important games.'
