South Africa fans, spoken to by ESPN over the course of the South African Premiership season, have unanimously backed Hugo Broos as the right man to lead the team at the FIFA World Cup, putting aside club biases.
Broos led Bafana Bafana to their first World Cup in 16 years, and through their first successful qualification campaign in 24 years (given that they hosted the tournament in 2010). They finished third at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), held belatedly in Ivory Coast in early 2024.
A disappointing AFCON 2025 campaign in Morocco, which ended in a round of 16 exit against Cameroon in January 2026, has not turned fans against the Belgian mentor, who has been in charge for five years.
Fans' thoughts on Hugo Broos
Orlando Pirates fan Lwandiso Botozo said: "I think he's done outstandingly. We judged him too early collectively as a country. I think that was done for both Orlando Pirates managers (José Riveiro and Abdeslam Ouaddou) when they started.
"He was right about South African football. He was right about the monopoly of big teams which are not performing great. It's also great that you get to see him seeing the matches in the PSL (colloquial name for the top flight). He watches the PSL, so he's seen the players that he wants in his squad and we haven't had such a good squad in a long time.
"When was the last time we were in an AFCON and just performed well before Hugo Broos? It's been a while. [The AFCON triumph] in 1996 was a long time ago. [The World Cup in] 2002 was a long time ago for South Africa and Bafana Bafana's peak and prime. I think that was our prime.
"I don't think the 2010 World Cup squad was great compared to previous squads. I think it was just the moment. We were in the fever of hosting and the performances that we got came from that - not necessarily that the team was great compared to previous teams."
South African sports super fan Norika Naidoo, a regular face at South African men's and women's football matches around the world, and who will be at the World Cup, said: "I think he has earned the right to make these [controversial] decisions.
"If you compare South African men's first team football before Hugo Broos and then after Hugo Broos - we went to an AFCON and then went all the way to a semi-final. We hadn't been able to do that prior to that [since 2000].
"I think him, with his coaching staff - because [assistant coach] Helman [Mkhalele] has been quite pivotal to Bafana Bafana and we don't give him enough credit for the role that he's played - I do think that we've seen a character shift [as a result of their work].
"We've seen [Broos] select players who buy into [the idea]: 'I'm doing this for the team; I'm not doing this for individual glory.' We've seen players buy into: 'I need to be a part of this system and I'm not a starboy.'
"Prior to that, we just had a bunch of starboys who should have taken us far and won AFCON but didn't because they were going on individual accolades. Now, we're going: 'You might not be the starboy, but you're a really good role player and that's how you make the squad.'"
Kaizer Chiefs fan Victor Monyepao said: "He did a marvellous job by forming a good squad. I think someone just has to take it over the finishing line. His formation; his creation over all of these years deserves something."
The striker conundrum
Interviewees were considerably more heated over the striker position, with widespread agreement that Broos was wrong to leave Iqraam Rayners out of his most recent AFCON squad, and right to call him up for the World Cup.
Botozo opined: "The squad that we had at the AFCON was great apart from [Iqraam] Rayners not being part of that team because I think that's our best striker in the country in terms of goalscoring. [Evidence] Makgopa is good at hold-up play, but of course, we know he's not a clinical striker."
On Foster, Botozo said: "I'm glad I even forgot the name because what does he do for us? Playing for a team in England (Burnley) doesn't make you great for a South African squad.
"Maybe he was great when he played in South Africa, but as a player who has played in England for a few years, I think he doesn't understand South African football and the fluidity and fluency of it. In the squad, he doesn't perform well for me."
Naidoo was more diplomatic in her response, though pessimistic about the general state of the number nine position in South Africa, saying: "My hot take is that South Africa has a striker problem. We have a shooting problem - a final third problem. We don't really have a striker who could score us goals.
"I could argue for Bradley Grobler, but he doesn't play for Bafana and his entire career has been injuries. He's a really good striker, but just not in our national team. Hugo Broos likes Foster; he likes Makgopa, and I'm really glad he's added Iqraam Rayners.
"I think there's a role for them in the Bafana Bafana team depending on the opposition and how we want to play. For example, in the AFCON in Morocco [against] Egypt - I thought that was a game we could have really used Iqraam Rayners upfront.
"We had Lyle Foster and Makgopa, but they're similar if I had to describe it that way - not exactly the same. Going into the World Cup, we will see certain parts of a game or opposition where we are going to need a Rayners, and then certain parts of a game where we are going to need a Makgopa or Foster."
Mamelodi Sundowns fan Zwelethemba "Zet" Mpendukana threw his weight behind Rayners, who plays upfront for his club.
"He scores every time he plays, but it seems he is being ignored by the national team coach," he said before Rayners' recent return to the fold.
"I would start him, even over Lyle Foster."
Where do club loyalties come in?
Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates each have eight active players in the Bafana Bafana squad. In Sundowns' case, that excludes Thapelo Maseko, who they loaned to AEL Limassol, and goalkeeper Ricardo Goss, who they loaned to Siwelele.
Mpendukana's point of view - that Rayners should start upfront - is common among Sundowns fans and backed by at least some supporters of other clubs too if Botozo's words are anything to go by.
Sundowns, Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs make up the traditional 'big three' in South Africa, but only one Chiefs player made Broos' squad - left-back Bradley Cross.
Amakhosi, as they are affectionately known, finished third in the South African Premiership behind league winners Pirates and African champions Mamelodi Sundowns, but there is a general feeling that they have been hard done by through a lack of representation in Broos' squad - with Broos himself admitting that goalkeeper Brandon Petersen was particularly unfortunate to miss out.
Sundowns' Ronwen Williams captains the side and is favourite to start in between the sticks in the group stage.