Eight months ago when we qualified for the World Cup, there was somebody who came to me and said: ‘Coach, they have to make a statue for you in South Africa.’
I told him that it should be made of wood, so that it burns easier when I lose,” Broos said.
The coach maintained steadfast confidence in the squad despite intense external pressure following their initial matches.
“I’ve always had the belief in this group of players, even over the past weeks, when the critics were extremely harsh.
But I never doubted, because these players already gave me so much that I was confident that we would have a good result against South Korea,” he said.
Broos highlighted the strong collective spirit and personal bond established between himself and the roster during their qualification run.
“They fought for every ball because they wanted to be in the second round as well.
The combination between me as a coach and them as players is something unique. Yes, I am the coach.
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But I also feel like their friend. So, I’m very happy for them after we qualified for the knockouts,” he said.
The Belgian tactician stated that South Africa must establish consistency by qualifying for every major tournament to continue developing.
“This is new for us.
That’s why when I arrived in South Africa, I said this country has to be in every big tournament.
That’s the level where you learn the most, even when the results are not good. And we’ve done that.
