Hugo Broos eyes historic second AFCON title to join elite coaching ranks

TO WIN the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title is the dream of every country, every footballer and every coach. It is a dream many die without realizing. And anyone who does it more than once is worthy of being feted and afforded legendary status.

Hugo Broos could add his name to a very short list of coaches who have been crowned African champions on more than one occasion when he leads Bafana Bafana at the 2025 edition in Morocco, as it kicks off in Morocco from Sunday to January 18.

The silver-haired Belgian is going to retire from coaching after the FIFA World Cup in north America next year and how grand it would be were he to cement his standings as one of the best coaches to have worked on the African continent.

A champion with Cameroon back in 2017, Broos pulled off some kind of miracle in leading South Africa to a bronze-medal finish two years ago in the Ivory Coast. It was one of the surprise performances at AFCON, Bafana having risen like a phoenix to reach the semi-finals following many years of underachievement.

Now, as he goes to take his AFCON bow, Broos has the chance to add his name to that pretty short, yet illustrious list of men who have led nations to continental glory on more than one occasion. It is a list that has Hassan Shehata of Egypt who led that superb Pharaohs generation that won the AFCON three times in a row from 2006 to 2010.

Ghana’s Charles Gyamfi was the first to lead the way when he won it back to back in 1963 and 1965. As if to prove a point, the former midfielder who was the first African to play in Germany way back in 1960, returned to guide the Black Stars to glory in 1982.

Herve Renard is the only other coach to have multiple titles and the only non-African, the Frenchman having reigned victorious with Zambia in 2012 and then with the Ivory Coast in 2015.

Broos has a chance to emulate Renard. He has not spoken openly about it, but as an ambitious coach the septuagenarian would love nothing more than to get that second gold medal. He has a squad that has shown they can be competitive and has proven to be a superb tactician who knows how to get the best out of his players.

The bronze-medal finish from the previous tournament was proof of Broos’ genius as a coach and it was confirmed by his leading Bafana to World Cup qualification for the first time since the 2002 tournament.

Winning the AFCON this time around will not come easy, what with the hosts Morocco looking to win only their second title and sure to enjoy partisan home support. And the Atlas Lions are currently the continent’s best ranked team enjoying a fantastic run of form. The other lions, Senegal’s Lions of Teranga, are also going to be hard to beat as will the defending champions Ivory Coast.

Still, there is every chance for Hugo Broos to help Bafana win their second title three decades on since that glorious February Saturday in 1996. And in doing so, he will add his name on a list of special coaches with more than one AFCON title.