William Troost-Ekong and Hugo Broos Agree on What Led to South Africa’s World Cup Elimination
- Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has explained what led to South Africa’s 2026 World Cup exit
- Stephen Eustaquio’s 92nd-minute winner sent Bafana Bafana out of the tournament in the first knockout game
- South Africa’s head coach Hugo Broos’ assessment of the painful defeat agrees with Troost-Ekong’s analysis
Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong and Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos agree on what cost South Africa during their loss to Canada.
Stephen Eustaquio scored the winner for the co-hosts in the 92nd minute to send South Africa out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the first game of the knockout stage.
Source: Getty Images
As noted by CAF, despite their journey ending in the Round of 32, Bafana Bafana made history by reaching the knockout stage for the first time.
South Africa recovered from an opening-day loss to Mexico to play a 1-1 draw against Czechia and beat South Korea to reach the knockout stage, but their journey ended cruelly.
Ekong explains what cost South Africa
William Troost-Ekong is on punditry duties with SuperSport for the World Cup Round of 32 game between South Africa and Canada.
Ekong claimed that the final 30 minutes, during which South Africa dominated the attacking phase but failed to take their chances, cost them.
“I think in the second half there were opportunities towards the last half hour; they opened up to be a little more attacking-minded,” Ekong said.
“They are waiting to see what will happen in extra time and I think that cost them today.”
South Africa head coach Hugo Broos’ assessment partly agrees with Ekong, who pointed to their inaction as the reason for their defeat.
“It was a difficult game, but I knew beforehand [it would be so] because I analysed the opponent. They have two important [traits] in power and speed. We hoped we had an answer for that, but it was not always the fact,” Broos told FIFA.
“You saw situations in the game that we could not follow, and the duels, man against man, we lost sometimes or most of the time. We have to work on power and speed in South Africa.”
Source: Getty Images
Africa had nine of its 10 representatives in the knockout stage, and with South Africa out, they remain 10, with CAF hoping that others would make it to the Round of 16.
2022 semi-finalists Morocco is the team in action on Monday, June 30, 2026, at 2 AM Nigerian time, against one of the predicted winners of the tournament, the Netherlands.
The Atlas Lions are one of Africa’s biggest hopes at the tournament because of their antecedents, experience and the quality of their squad.
CAF sends message to South Africa
Legit.ng previously reported that CAF sent a message to South Africa after Bafana Bafana were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup by Canada.
A late Stephen Eustaquio goal helped the co-hosts progress to the next round despite South Africa’s spirited and historic journey to the knockout stage.
Source: Legit.ng
