OPINION – Bafana lost the plot against Mexico but can still bounce back

I don’t think there is one South African, if they are truly honest, that would have had a problem before kick off with Bafana Bafana losing to hosts Mexico in the opening match of the 2026 Fifa World Cup on Thursday.

It is the manner of the defeat that breaks the heart, that has nothing to do with what we have seen from the Bafana Bafana that Hugo Broos has built.

Bafana barely threw a punch

There is no shame in going down to a side as good as Mexico, particularly in an intimidating atmosphere in front of their own fans, at a stadium where they rarely lose. But Broos’ Bafana, to use boxing terminology, barely threw a punch in the Azteca cauldron.

Broos has done so much good since taking over the reins at Bafana. When he arrive in 2021, it is easy to forget that the national team were in a seemingly endless cycle of despair. For a long time, the tough- talking Belgian has got the best out of a squad made up mainly of locally based players, whose collective spirit and vibrant playing style has taken them to third place at an Africa Cup of Nations.

It has also taken them to a World Cup finals, the first time South Africa have made it through qualifying in 24 years.

Bafana topped a group containing Nigeria, and could even afford an administrative bungle that saw them docked three points.

Terrible tactics

On Thursday, however, Broos lost the plot. He changed to a back five, a tactic Bafana have barely used under his guidance.

South Africa had a chance to show their flair to a nation but Broos only picked two attacking players – Iqraam Rayners and Lyle Foster – and gave them no creative support to succeed.

Bafana sat back, tried to play through the lines, and less than ten minutes in had basically gifted Mexico an opening goal.

When they then tried to attack, Bafana looked listless. And of course they did. Their best attacker, Oswin Appollis, wasn’t on the pitch, they had no attacking width, and they had no number ten to find those killer passes from central areas.

Even more amazing was that Broos must have seen all this, but did nothing about it at half time. At 1-0 down Bafana were well in the game. And at that point they still had 11 players on the pitch too.

Almost immediately Bafana nearly conceded another goal after getting themselves in trouble trying to pas out of defence. The Sphephele Sithole, who had given the ball away for the opening goal, brought down Brian Gutierrez and was sent off.

It is easy to say in hindsight but Sithole should have not come back out of the tunnel for the second half. Mexico did not even play that well. They wasted good chances and looked a bit lost for a time against ten men.

It’s time to release the shackles

But Raul Jimenez eventually got the second goal and that was that. For Broos to come out afterwards and say that Bafana had played well was even more ridiculous. It was also surprising from a man who has previously been a refreshingly honest voice in the world of South African football.

In front of the world, Bafana had simply capitulated. One worries that if Broos thinks his tactics worked here, he will simply carry on regardless against Czechia and South Korea.

There needs to be a change. Bafana’s best attackers need to be on the pitch. Why not give youngsters like Relebohile Mofokeng and Thapelo Maseko a chance?

Bafana, in truth, have been on a downward spiral since sealing their place at the World Cup. They had a poor 2025 AFCON. Their pre-World Cup friendlies were underwhelming.

But now there is surely nothing to lose. Release the handbrake, Hugo, because you are already losing the faith of a nation.