All eyes in Africa are on Morocco, which is preparing to host the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025. Amid the preparations for this football extravaganza, the name of veteran Belgian coach Hugo Broos, manager of the South African national team, stands out as one of the most prominent figures who could make history in this tournament. Broos, 73, is unique in being the only coach among the 24 participating coaches to have previously won the continental title, placing him in the spotlight.
Dreaming of equaling Hervé Renard's record
Bruce's ambition extends beyond mere participation; he harbors a burning desire to replicate the unique achievement of French coach Hervé Renard. Renard is the only coach in the tournament's history to have won the title with two different national teams. He led Zambia to a stunning upset victory in 2012, before returning three years later to guide Ivory Coast's "Elephants" to triumph in the 2015 edition. Bruce, who guided Cameroon to victory in the 2017 tournament in Gabon after a thrilling final win against Egypt, aims to become only the second coach to achieve this continental glory with two different teams, this time with "Bafana Bafana.".
South Africa's resurgence and return to the forefront
South African football has witnessed a remarkable resurgence under Bruce's leadership, following years of inconsistency and failure to qualify for major tournaments. The Belgian coach proved his mettle in the last edition in Ivory Coast, defying all expectations and guiding the team to a third-place finish and the bronze medal, overcoming formidable obstacles, most notably eliminating Morocco, the fourth-ranked team in the world, in the round of 16. This impressive performance revived memories of the 1996 generation that brought the country its only title, and has raised high hopes for the current generation of players.
A fiery group and warnings against overconfidence
The draw placed South Africa in the challenging Group B, alongside Angola, Zimbabwe, and record-holding champions Egypt. In this context, Bruce issued cautious statements to the media, recalling the scenario of the previous tournament when the team lost their opening match against Mali and nearly exited the competition early, only managing to recover later. Bruce emphasized that the opening match against Angola in Marrakech would be crucial for qualification, warning that a loss would put them under immense pressure against Egypt, led by their global star Mohamed Salah.
The conflict between training schools in the Moroccan version
The 2025 edition boasts a remarkable diversity of coaching styles, with 14 African national coaches participating, reflecting a growing confidence in local talent. This contrasts with nine coaches from Europe and one from South America, Argentina's Miguel Gamondi, leading Tanzania. Broos hopes European coaches will maintain their strong presence in the tournament's history, as he was the last European to win the title in 2017, before national coaches (Belmadi, Cissé, and Faye) dominated the last three editions. With other Belgian coaches like Tom Saintfiet (Mali) and Paul Put (Uganda) also in the mix, the Belgian school of coaching will be a prominent force in Moroccan football.
