National Teams
World Cup Qualifiers: Hugo Broos warns Bafana Bafana of Nigeria’s quality vs Bloemfontein
By Wale Mustapha
South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has warned his players not to underestimate the Super Eagles of Nigeria, insisting the three-time African champions remain a formidable force despite the absence of star striker Victor Osimhen.
The Bafana Bafana boss was speaking ahead of Tuesday’s decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Bloemfontein, where Group C’s top spot will be up for grabs.
Osimhen, Nigeria’s leading scorer, was forced off injured in Saturday’s narrow 1-0 win over Rwanda in Uyo.
Yet Broos dismissed the notion that the Super Eagles’ threat has diminished, stressing that head coach Eric Chelle still has a wealth of attacking talent at his disposal.
Nigeria’s squad features 12 players currently active in Europe’s top five leagues, including Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Tolu Arokodare, Ola Aina, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Chidozie Awaziem, Christantus Uche, Felix Agu, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and Frank Onyeka.
“It is a big opportunity to win the game tomorrow, but again we are playing against a very good opponent,” Broos told reporters.
“It is not because they’re six points behind us that you think Nigeria isn’t a good team. When you see their players, they all play abroad in big teams in Europe, so that means there is quality. But we don’t have fear going into tomorrow’s game.”
South Africa currently lead Group C with 13 points after their emphatic 3-0 win over Lesotho, while Nigeria sit third on 10 points.
A victory for either side could prove decisive in the race for the group’s automatic qualification ticket to the 2026 World Cup in USA, Canada, and Mexico.
