South Africa (Bafana Bafana)

Hugo Broos

Role Head Coach
Age 74
Nationality Belgian
Licence UEFA Pro

Appointed

May 2021

Trophies

5

Contract ends

30 Jun 2026

Reported salary

~R900k / month

description

Biography

Full Name

Hugo Broos

Date of Birth

1952-04-10

Playing Career

Defender. Anderlecht (1971-1983, two European Cup Winners' Cups 1976 and 1978), Club Brugge (1983-1988), Waregem (1988-1990). 24 caps for Belgium.

Coaching Since

1994-1997

Languages

DutchFrenchEnglishGerman

Agent

Self-represented

shield

South Africa (Bafana Bafana)

Since May 2021

Appointed May 2021
Contract ends 30 Jun 2026
AFCON 2023 Bronze medal
WC 2026 Qualification campaign ongoing
Reported salary ~R900k / month
Age 74
View South Africa (Bafana Bafana) arrow_forward
Hugo Broos portrait — Wikimedia Commons (see CREDITS)
Profile

Hugo Broos is the 74-year-old Belgian head coach of Bafana Bafana, appointed in May 2021 and still in post for the 2026 World Cup. South Africa won bronze at AFCON 2023 under his watch. He has told News24 he will retire after the 2026 World Cup. His CV includes the AFCON 2017 title with Cameroon and the Belgian championship with Genk in 1999.

Tactical Philosophy

Broos is an old-school defensive coach who has softened his approach for the international game. Bafana Bafana play a 4-3-3 with two defensive-minded midfielders, disciplined wingers who track back, and a lone striker who presses the centre-backs. The emphasis is on shape over possession — Bafana are happy to play without the ball.

His managerial strength on the continent has been game-state management. Broos reads a match and tells his team when to close out, when to counter-attack, and when to absorb pressure. The AFCON 2023 run featured three penalty shootouts won thanks to goalkeeper Ronwen Williams — itself a tactical decision, because Broos coached Bafana to play for the shootout when the score was level in knockout ties.

dynamic_form

Preferred Formation

4-3-3 (defensive)

Managerial Timeline

South Africa (Bafana Bafana)

May 2021 - present

AFCON 2023 Bronze

Bronze medal at AFCON 2023 in Côte d'Ivoire — South Africa's best AFCON finish since 2000. WCQ 2026 campaign ongoing.

Wins 21
P 46
Win% 46

Cameroon (Indomitable Lions)

2016-2017

AFCON 2017

Won AFCON 2017 in Gabon against Egypt — his defining continental trophy.

Wins 9
P 16
Win% 56

Trabzonspor

2008-2009

Short Turkish Süper Lig spell, ended mid-season by results pressure.

Wins 16
P 34
Win% 47

KRC Genk

1998-1999

Belgian First Division 1998-99

Won the Belgian championship with Genk in 1998-99. The crown of his Belgian club career.

Wins 26
P 44
Win% 59

Anderlecht

1997-1998

Returned to his playing club as head coach. Second-place finish in Belgian top flight.

Wins 22
P 42
Win% 52

Club Brugge

1994-1997

Belgian Cup 1995-96

First head-coach role at a European top club. Won the Belgian Cup in 1995-96.

Wins 72
P 122
Win% 59
emoji_events

Notable Achievement

AFCON

With Cameroon — beat Egypt 2-1 in final · 2017

View Squad arrow_forward

emoji_eventsTrophies

  • military_tech
    AFCON
    With Cameroon — beat Egypt 2-1 in final
    2017
  • military_tech
    AFCON Bronze
    With South Africa — bronze medal in Côte d'Ivoire
    2023
  • military_tech
    Belgian First Division
    With KRC Genk
    1998-99
  • military_tech
    Belgian Cup
    With Club Brugge
    1995-96
  • military_tech
    European Cup Winners' Cup (player)
    With Anderlecht
    1976 & 1978

scoreboardNotable Matches

  • 5 Feb 2017 1-2
    Egypt 1-2 Cameroon (AFCON final)

    Broos's defining match. Cameroon came from behind to beat Egypt in Libreville — his first and only AFCON title as coach.

  • 11 Feb 2024 0-0 (6-5 pens)
    South Africa 0-0 DR Congo (AET, 6-5 pens, 3rd place)

    Bronze medal at AFCON 2023. Ronwen Williams saved four penalties in the shootout — South Africa's best AFCON result in 24 years.

  • 25 Mar 2025 0-1
    Nigeria 0-1 South Africa (WCQ)

    Away win that put Bafana at the top of their 2026 WCQ group. Tactical win against a favoured side.

  • 15 Oct 2025 4-0
    South Africa 4-0 Lesotho (WCQ)

    Thumping home win that effectively clinched Bafana's 2026 World Cup qualifying progress.

Expert Analysis

TM

Thabiso Mkhize

Senior Writer · 14 posts on Hugo

Coach FAQ

Who is Hugo Broos? expand_more

Hugo Broos is the 74-year-old Belgian head coach of South Africa's Bafana Bafana, appointed in May 2021. Before that he won AFCON 2017 with Cameroon, managed KRC Genk to the 1998-99 Belgian title, and played 12 years as a defender for Anderlecht, winning the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1976 and 1978.

How old is Hugo Broos? expand_more

Broos is 74 years old. He was born on 10 April 1952 in Humbeek, a village north of Brussels. He has publicly confirmed he will retire from coaching after the 2026 World Cup, ending 56 years in football.

Where is Hugo Broos from? expand_more

Belgium. Broos was born in Humbeek, a village in the Flemish Brabant province north of Brussels, on 10 April 1952. He is a native Dutch speaker and also works fluently in French, English and German.

Related

Team South Africa (Bafana Bafana) arrow_forward Country Football in South Africa arrow_forward Competition PSL (Premier Soccer League) arrow_forward Club Mamelodi Sundowns arrow_forward Club Kaizer Chiefs arrow_forward Club Orlando Pirates arrow_forward Player Ronwen Williams arrow_forward Player Themba Zwane arrow_forward Player Relebohile Mofokeng arrow_forward

help Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Hugo Broos? add
Hugo Broos is the 74-year-old Belgian head coach of South Africa's Bafana Bafana, appointed in May 2021. Before that he won AFCON 2017 with Cameroon, managed KRC Genk to the 1998-99 Belgian title, and played 12 years as a defender for Anderlecht, winning the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1976 and 1978.
How old is Hugo Broos? add
Broos is 74 years old. He was born on 10 April 1952 in Humbeek, a village north of Brussels. He has publicly confirmed he will retire from coaching after the 2026 World Cup, ending 56 years in football.
Where is Hugo Broos from? add
Belgium. Broos was born in Humbeek, a village in the Flemish Brabant province north of Brussels, on 10 April 1952. He is a native Dutch speaker and also works fluently in French, English and German.
What is Hugo Broos's nationality? add
Belgian. Broos is a Dutch-speaking Belgian from Humbeek and represents himself as Flemish-Belgian in interviews. He played 24 times for the Belgium national team as a defender.
Is Hugo Broos South African? add
No. Broos is a Belgian national who has coached South Africa's Bafana Bafana since May 2021. He holds only Belgian citizenship and has said he will return to Belgium after the 2026 World Cup.
What is Hugo Broos's salary at Bafana Bafana? add
Publicly reported figures put Broos's SAFA contract at around R900,000 per month (approximately US $50,000), plus tournament bonuses tied to AFCON and World Cup progression. SAFA does not disclose exact salary figures, so reporting has varied.
What is Hugo Broos's salary per month? add
Local South African reporting has consistently placed his monthly salary around R900,000 during the current contract cycle. That is low by European head-coach standards but mid-tier for African national-team roles.
What is Hugo Broos's record with Bafana Bafana? add
Across his first five years in charge (May 2021 through April 2026) Broos has managed 46 matches with 21 wins, 14 draws and 11 losses — a 46% win rate. The headline result is the AFCON 2023 bronze medal, South Africa's best AFCON finish in 24 years.
When did Hugo Broos join Bafana Bafana? add
SAFA appointed Broos head coach of Bafana Bafana in May 2021. His current contract runs through 30 June 2026, and he has said he will retire from coaching once the 2026 World Cup is over.
What teams has Hugo Broos coached? add
Club Brugge, Anderlecht, Germinal Ekeren, KRC Genk (1998-99 Belgian champions), Trabzonspor in Turkey, Al-Jazira in the UAE, Cameroon (AFCON 2017 winners) and South Africa Bafana Bafana. Total of five decades in coaching across Belgium, Turkey, the UAE and Africa.
Did Hugo Broos win the AFCON? add
Yes. Broos won AFCON 2017 in Gabon with Cameroon, beating Egypt 2-1 in the final. He is the only coach in the last decade to win AFCON with one country (Cameroon 2017) and medal with another (South Africa bronze 2023).
Did Hugo Broos play football professionally? add
Yes. Broos was a defender for Anderlecht from 1971 to 1983, winning the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1976 and 1978. He moved to Club Brugge in 1983, finished his career at Waregem, and earned 24 caps for Belgium.
Is Hugo Broos leaving Bafana Bafana? add
Broos has said he will retire from coaching after the 2026 World Cup. His SAFA contract expires on 30 June 2026 and he told News24 in October 2025 that his age is the reason he will step away, ending 56 years in football.

Last updated 2026-04-22 · written by Thabiso Mkhize.