Reneilwe Letsholonyane offers take on Hugo Broos World Cup selection

South Africa open their campaign against hosts Mexico on Thursday, with speculation mounting over who will make the starting line-up for the country's first World Cup appearance since 2010. 

Letsholonyane, now coaching Botswana side Matebele FC, argues that the short turnaround between the AFCON and the World Cup influenced Broos' decisions, prompting the Belgian tactician to place his faith in a settled group rather than experiment with new faces.

"I was not surprised at the team that he chose, mainly because going into such tournaments, it's such a short time to prepare, and you would want players that understand how you want to play and who understand you and vice versa," said Letsholonyane.

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"So, for me, I was not surprised by the team he chose because they have been together for almost two years. They have already played in two AFCONs, as well as in friendly matches and qualifiers. So, I think from the coach's point of view, that is the right decision he made."

Yeye adds that Broos had to stick to his guns because he will account for the team’s performance when the tournament gets underway.

"We might think differently, but the head coach needs to make a decision, whether right or wrong, because he is the one who is going to be held accountable after all. He needs results, so I did not expect anything different, really."

Bafana also take on Czechia and South Korea in Group A, with Letsholonyane confident the 2026 generation have got a shot at reaching the next phase of the tournament. 

Photo: Dep. Sport,Arts and Culture