Hugo Broos urges fearless Bafana mindset against Salah and Marmoush at AFCON 2025
Hugo Broos has made his stance clear ahead of Bafana Bafana’s highly anticipated AFCON 2025 Group B clash against Egypt: South Africa will not be intimidated by star names like Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. Instead, the Belgian coach wants his side to focus on what has brought them success—collective belief, attacking bravery, and trust in their own identity.
Bafana arrive in Agadir full of confidence after a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Angola, a match that showcased the attacking intent Broos has instilled in his team. Fullbacks pushed high up the pitch, centre-backs were encouraged to step into midfield, and players like Mbekezeli Mbokazi were unafraid to make forward runs. It was a performance built on courage and structure rather than caution.
Speaking ahead of Friday’s top-of-the-table encounter at Stade Adrar, Broos urged his players not to overthink the individual quality in the Egyptian squad. While fully acknowledging the talent of Salah, Marmoush, and Mahmoud Trézéguet, the Bafana coach stressed that football is won by teams, not individuals.
“Why should we focus on one player?” Broos said during his pre-match press conference. “Yes, they are such a good team. We all know how good Salah is, how good Marmoush is, and how good Trézéguet is. But for us, it’s the team that is important. We don’t really focus on one player.”
Egypt come into the match after a comeback 2–1 win over Zimbabwe, with both Salah and Marmoush getting on the scoresheet. That result ensured Group B remains tightly contested, with the top two teams guaranteed progression to the round of 16, while the four best third-placed teams across the six groups will also advance. With both South Africa and Egypt on three points, Friday’s clash could go a long way in shaping the group standings.
Hugo Broos says Bafana must trust their team identity and not overthink the threat of Salah and Marmoush in the AFCON 2025 showdown
Despite the strength of the opposition, Broos was adamant that Bafana will not abandon their attacking philosophy just to neutralise Egypt’s stars. He acknowledged that some precautions will be necessary, but he rejected the idea of completely reshaping his side to suit the opponent.
“It’s not a team like Zimbabwe or Angola, that’s true,” Broos admitted. “But we will never adapt ourselves 100 percent to an opponent. We have our qualities, and we don’t want to throw away the weapons we have.”
That approach was evident against Angola, where left-back Aubrey Modiba delivered an outstanding offensive display, constantly adding numbers in attack down his flank. Broos highlighted performances like Modiba’s as examples of why Bafana should remain true to their style.
“We have to put Egypt in difficult situations,” Broos explained. “And you can only do that when you use your quality and the players you normally use. The most important thing is the team.”
The Belgian coach also touched on the mental side of the challenge, warning his players against showing too much respect. While Egypt boast world-class individuals and vast tournament experience, Broos believes fear is the quickest way to surrender control.
“For me, it’s not about making sure Salah or Marmoush don’t play well,” he said. “It’s about beating the team.”
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Friday’s encounter promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the group stage—a clash between Egypt’s star power and South Africa’s growing collective confidence. For Broos and his Bafana side, the message is simple: trust the process, play with belief, and face Africa’s giants without fear.
