JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — South Africa Coach Hugo Broos smiles a lot and snarls a little as he prepares for the biggest match of his 38-year career as a tactician.

Having reached the knockout phase of the World Cup for the first time, Bafana Bafana (The Boys) face Canada on Sunday in Los Angeles in the first last-32 fixture.

The joy of the 74-year-old Belgian grandfather stems from succeeding where various coaches, including renowned Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira, failed.

A 1-0 midweek victory over higher-ranked South Korea, through a goal from winger Thapelo Maseko, earned South Africa second place in Group A and qualification for the knockout stage.

It was a triumphant end to a mini-league campaign that began badly two weeks ago when Bafana performed poorly in a 2-0 loss to joint hosts Mexico.

A slight improvement in a 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic, courtesy of a late Teboho Mokoena penalty, left many South Africans pessimistic before facing the Koreans.

But the team prevailed, displaying passion largely lacking in the earlier matches. More clinical finishing would have produced a wider winning margin in Mexico.

Recalling the victory over Korea, Broos told AFP the team he has coached since 2021 “believed in itself”.

“It was a hugely emotional moment — getting past the group stage for the first time,” Broos, who guided Cameroon to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, said.

“We were not good against Mexico and a little better against the Czechs. That meant we had to defeat Korea. There was enormous pressure on us, but we made it.

“We are ready for the Canadians. My team will fight for 90 minutes, and longer if necessary. Let us hope for another good result.”

Should South Africa eliminate Canada, who are 22 places higher in the world rankings, they will face the Netherlands or Morocco in a last-16 tie.

But amid the happiness after first-round exits from the 1998, 2002, and 2010 World Cups, Broos was angry at some criticism after the Mexico loss.

“There was a a lot of criticism from current and former coaches and players and some supporters,” he said. “They must know that I do things my way.

“I do not read social media trash. I never listen to people who think they are important. It would be better for them to shut up.

“Someone suggested a statue should be erected by South Africans in my honour. I told them to make it of wood so it burns quickly when we fail.”

After the 2010 World Cup, South Africa endured a decade of underachievement, often failing to qualify for the AFCON and missing three-consecutive World Cup tournaments.

BROOS…I never listen to people who think they are important (Photo: AFP)

When Broos took charge in 2021, Bafana were attracting crowds of less than 200. Before departing for the 2026 World Cup, they drew 50,000 supporters to a warm-up match.

After finishing third at the 2024 AFCON and winning a 2026 World Cup qualifying group, including Nigeria, Bafana slumped.

They made a last-16 exit from the 2025 AFCON and, before overcoming South Korea, went seven matches without winning.

Broos partly blamed the early AFCON departure from Morocco on allegations before the African tournament that he was a racist and sexist.

Angry at the late arrival of centre back Mbekezeli Mbokazi for training, Broos said the player “would enter my hotel room as a black and leave as a white”.

A South African Football Association official defended Broos, telling AFP “it was an unfortunate choice of words concerning a tongue lashing in a country with a troubled racial background”.

Broos, who was part of the Belgium squad that reached the 1986 World Cup semi-finals in Mexico, was also unhappy that Mbokazi chose to leave Soweto club Orlando Pirates for Chicago Fire this year instead of moving to Europe.

He called the mixed-race agent of the defender “a nice little woman who thinks she knows about football”. Neither the threatened racism nor sexism charges by a lawmaker materialised.