'We saw things that should never happen anymore' â?? Hugo Broos opens up on post-AFCON fallout

South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has lifted the lid on the disciplinary issues that rocked his squad in the days following their Africa Cup of Nations campaign, revealing that unacceptable behaviour forced him to drop several players.

The veteran Belgian tactician, who led Bafana Bafana to the Round of 16 in Morocco, disclosed that the problems emerged almost immediately after the team's return home.

"Three, four days after we came back from the AFCON, we saw things that should never happen anymore," Broos said.

The coach made it clear that the situation left him with no choice but to act decisively. Players were removed from the national team setup as a direct consequence of their conduct.

"We also saw things that we knew we couldn't change immediately, so we dropped them and took all the players," he added.

Broos challenged those excluded to look inward and understand why they are no longer part of his plans.

"And I hope that those guys, maybe we're not there now, but those guys need to ask themselves why they're not with the national team."

The South African Football Association's technical director Helman Mkhalele was reportedly involved in the evaluation process that led to the decisions.

Broos has long maintained a zero-tolerance approach to discipline, having previously called out players for missing national team camps. His comments suggest that representing Bafana Bafana requires more than just talent—the right mentality and professionalism are non-negotiable.

South Africa now turn their attention to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they will open against hosts Mexico in Group A.

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