South Africa coach Broos warns Canada's relentless style will give them 'no peace' on the pitch

Updated: 28/06/2026 02:15 CEST

South Africa's head coach, Belgian Hugo Broos, praised Canada on Saturday ahead of their round of 32 clash in the 2026 World Cup, describing the North American side as a formidable opponent due to their physicality and skill.

"Canada is a very physical team. They go all out from the first moment and for the full 90 minutes," Broos said in a press conference. "We won't have a second of peace because they are constantly on the ball."

The match is scheduled for Sunday at the Los Angeles Stadium.

No Complacency for Bafana Bafana

Broos made clear that the Bafana Bafana — as the South African national team is known — will not rest on their achievements and will approach the match without fear or inferiority.

"Everyone wants to play tomorrow to win. We are already making history, but imagine what it would mean for Bafana Bafana to advance to the third round," the coach stated.

Despite securing a spot in the knockout stage, Broos ruled out any complacency in the African dressing room after overcoming the tournament's first phase.

A Journey of Transformation

Broos reflected on the difficult path to reaching this stage, noting that it required betting on an unconventional squad that initially drew criticism.

"I called up players from small teams, from lower divisions, and they told me no, that I had to bet on those from big teams," he recalled. "Then we got to the Africa Cup of Nations, and that's when they opened their eyes and people realized that work."

World Cup Challenges

For Broos, the World Cup has been "very exhausting" for the team, which has had to travel across different zones with varying time zones — a task requiring significant adaptation time.

Nevertheless, he emphasized the importance of such tournaments for his squad.

"For this team, being in these tournaments is very important because it is something completely different," he said. "In the end, we are in Africa, and the players don't get the chance to have matches like the ones we have in this World Cup."

Looking Ahead

"Tomorrow we will fight for it for the 90 minutes, just as we have done in previous matches, and we will show that we will get a positive result and that we can qualify," Broos concluded.

The Belgian coach left open the question of whether this would be his last World Cup as a coach.