PUEBLA, MEXICO — Hugo Broos, 74, will manage South Africa in Thursday’s World Cup opener at Mexico’s Azteca Stadium, returning to the same pitch where he played for Belgium in the 1986 finals. Broos recalled the 110,000-strong crowd that watched Belgium lose 2-1 to Mexico in that tournament and said the memory underscored how special the World Cup feels.
Speaking at a weekend press conference, Broos described his excitement at coming back four decades later and noted he will briefly become one of the oldest coaches to lead a team at the tournament. He acknowledged thoughts of retirement have been frequent in recent years and confirmed he plans to step away after this World Cup to spend time with family.
Broos admitted age has affected his energy and preparation, saying some days it’s a struggle to study opponents, yet he believes being viewed as underdogs could help South Africa. He urged his players to stick to the game plan and ignore the crowd, noting many of them have never experienced a stage like this.
His immediate aim is to guide South Africa past the group stage for the first time in four attempts; beyond the tournament he intends to retire and focus on family life.