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South Africa coach Hugo Broos said his side had silenced its critics after Bafana Bafana qualified for the World Cup Group of 32 for the first time in the country’s history with a 1-0 victory over South Korea on Wednesday.
The win saw South Africa finish second in Group A behind co-hosts Mexico, who won all three of their group matches.
Bafana Bafana last appeared at the World Cup in 2010 when they hosted the tournament.
“I’m very proud of the performance of my team and I think we gave an answer to all those big mouths of the last weeks who thought that we had to change something,” a defiant Broos said after the match.
“We just did what we did. We just did what I wanted to do, and this is the result.”
The 74-year-old Belgian, who has managed South Africa since 2021, described reaching the knockout stage as an emotional moment.
“I said it already in the past that probably it will be one of the last games of my career and when you can end a career like I had in this way, I think every coach dreams of it,” he said.
Broos added that he had always believed in his players despite criticism from outside the camp.
“Between me as a coach and them as players is, yes, maybe something unique. I’m the coach, but I’m not only a coach,” he said.
“I think I’m a friend of theirs. So the relationship between the players and me is very good.”
South Africa will face co-hosts Canada in Los Angeles on Sunday, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.
“I just know that the players will be ready again and try to achieve the third round,” Broos said.
“It should be even more historic. But those players are chasing those things. They want to prove to everyone and show that they are a good team. So we will see on Sunday if we can go further.”
