Broos declares Bafana ready for Mexico before a massive global audience

Speaking during the match day minus one press conference at the match venue, Broos says Mexico’s impressive results in their last 10 matches, on paper, give them an edge, but like any team at the World Cup, Bafana Bafana also arrive fully prepared to match the hosts from all angles...

"After their recent friendly results they are a confident team heading into the game, and then there is also the reality that Mexico is the best team in the group. So we expect a very tough game and we need to be at our best level. I can assure you that my team is ready to fight for every metre and every ball."

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Mexico also boasts a formidable attack, players in big leagues like the likes of Santiago Gimenez from AC Milan, Raúl Jiménez of Fulham, and Obed Vargas of Atletico Madrid. 

Broos is not threatened by the names, as he trusts his analysis team to have gathered every detail on the opponent...

"We are very well prepared. We have analysts who watched many of Mexico's games and analysed the players who don't play in Mexico. You never know with their coach, maybe he has a little secret we don't know about, but we are very well prepared and we know what we will be facing."

Immediately after the press conference, the Bafana Bafana players and technical staff had a walkabout at the gigantic match venue, which accommodates over 87,000 people. 

It’s a venue Broos knows very well as a player and trusts that his players won’t be swallowed by it.

This World Cup appearance away from home is a culmination of some great work in the last five years that Broos has spent as Bafana Bafana head coach. The Belgian-born mentor, now the longest-serving Bafana coach ever, says this is a moment that all South Africans can be proud of...