‘Shut up’, Bafana coach Broos tells critics as they prepare to meet Czechia

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has come out swinging at detractors who criticised the team’s performance in their 2-0 2026 Fifa World Cup defeat to Mexico last week, saying he is doing it his way and they must “shut up”.

Broos was the subject of stinging criticism from football supporters after Bafana played an unusual formation that backfired in the tournament opening match in Mexico City last Thursday.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference at Atlanta Stadium in Georgia, US, on Wednesday afternoon ahead of Bafana’s second match there against Czechia on Thursday (noon in Atlanta, 6pm SA time), Broos reacted angrily to the criticism, adding he doesn’t listen to social media “trash”.

A win against Czechia in South Africa’s crucial second Group A match on Thursday would put Bafana in good stead to progress to the World Cup knockouts for the first time.

“I am nearly 40 years as a coach, and I know there is the side of the job where you are criticised. But people who know and those who don’t know, I do it my way,” he said while sitting next to team captain Ronwen Williams.

“I never listen to the trash of social media. I never listen to people who sometimes think they are important and have to criticise the team.

“I have seen what they did before. I think it’s better that they shut up.

“This is part of my job and I know that when you lose you are criticised and when you win you are the king. Eight months ago when we qualified for the World Cup against Rwanda in Mbombela, someone said they must make a statue of me in South Africa.

“I told him they must make it in wood so it burns easily when I lose and that is happening now. I am too experienced to look and listen to that. I try to do my job as well as possible.”

Broos said his players are going to fight against Czechia.

“I will try to have a team on the pitch on Thursday that will fight for 90 minutes. If we lose, we will leave everything on the pitch with pride because we would have done everything.”

Williams echoed the sentiment of fellow squad goalkeeper Ricardo Goss earlier in the week that it is disappointing that some of the harshest critics of the team are former players who played at the highest level.

“It hurts when it comes from fellow professionals, people who played the game at the highest level and they know how difficult it is. You can question the performance but not the attitude and spirit we had,” said Williams.

We were disappointed but in today’s society everyone is an expert and you have to block out the noise. Listen to the coach and the people who know what is going on behind the scenes. We trust the coach and ourselves as players

—  Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams

“Playing with a man down against the host nation is not easy. We had the attitude to keep fighting and we didn’t give Mexico much in the second half. That showed the character we have in this team.

“We could have easily given up, felt sorry for ourselves and got a beating, but we didn’t. Yes, we were not at our best, but we kept on believing and fighting and the boys can be proud of the character and mentality.

“We were disappointed, but in today’s society everyone is an expert and you have to block out the noise. Listen to the coach and the people who know what is going on behind the scenes. We trust the coach and ourselves as players.”

Williams said the opening defeat can serve as a timely wake-up call.

“Maybe this is something that had to happen for us to realise we must be better going into the tournament. We will keep the focus and stick together.”

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