Hugo Broos breathes sigh of relief as Bafana Bafana depart for Mexico

The past few days have been stressful for the 74-year-old coach as uncertainty over the team’s traveling schedule disrupted their traveling schedule due to more than half of the team having not received their visas.  

Bafana were meant to travel yesterday, but Broos was happy that they finally left 24 hours later. 

"Now we are very happy, and everybody is happy that we can go to Mexico. The past days have been a little bit stressful with all the problems we had, but again, those problems are behind us now and we can focus on what's coming," said Broos.

"Yes, these 10 days will be going very fast, once we get there we will start working, focusing on the first game against Mexico, so time will pass very quickly.

"So it's 10 days, but it's short and, again, I think everybody is looking forward to play the game and to start the World Cup."

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Unfortunately, Broos’ assistant Helman Mkhalele and the team’s head of security Mdu Mbatha are the only members of the team left behind, but it’s expected they will be sorted out by this afternoon and will follow the team.  

SAFA president Danny Jordaan says they are relieved the rest of the team is leaving. 

"Well, we still need one passport from the Americans. Of course, they refused the visa but they give no reasons, so it's very difficult to deal with the process when you don't get information," Jordaan noted.

"And they don't oblige to give information, so we hope that will also be resolved and that all of our people will be gone, but all the players are there; 99 percent of the technical staff are on the plane.

"And they will now focus and begin preparations for Jamaica on the 5th and then the match on the 11th against Mexico – that's the opening of the World Cup.

"And we said to Hugo Broos and the players, we want to wish them all the best."