South Africa Make History, Reach World Cup Knockouts for the First Time
Anushe Engineer
South Africa made history by reaching the World Cup knockout stages for the first time after a 1-0 victory over South Korea, silencing critics of coach Hugo Broos. Fans in Johannesburg celebrated through the night, and the team danced in the dressing room in Mexico. The government praised the team's determination, while Broos called it an emotional moment in his career.
As the South African football team danced through the night at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe after making World Cup history, fans in Johannesburg partied on the streets before dawn, heralding an unprecedented day in the nation's football history.
With two red cards, a loss, a draw, and a win, South Africa did it all in the World Cup group stage and advanced to the knockout rounds for the first time.
Thapelo Maseko found the net in the 63rd minute, securing a shock 1-0 victory over South Korea, a team now teetering between advancing to the round of 32 or elimination.
Monterrey Stadium will long echo with the raw emotion of South African fans and players in a fairytale ending to a group-stage journey that began with a disastrous opening loss for Hugo Broos's side.
While much of the country had yet to wake up to witness the historic achievement, die-hard fans sacrificed sleep to follow the 3 a.m. kickoff against South Korea, unaware of the historic moment unfolding. Hours later, as dawn broke, streets filled with dancing fans celebrating South Africa's feat in pajamas and winter clothes; some 10,000 kilometers away, the team danced all night in the dressing room in Guadalupe, Mexico.
“It's like the whole nation stayed awake and probably won't go to work tomorrow!” joked South African football fan Lorenz Kohler. Kohler, based in Johannesburg, last saw his team play in a World Cup when South Africa hosted the tournament in 2010, where they became the first host nation in history to fail to advance past the group stage. “I can say this moment surpasses anything from 2010; it will never be forgotten,” Kohler told Al Jazeera. “I know many watch parties happened tonight as if it were afternoon – people had faith and knew something big could happen.”
South Africa's performance forced many critics to eat their words after doubting what Hugo Broos's team could achieve. “A lot of people wrote us off before the tournament started, saying we would be the weak team in the group, so the performance and victory are even sweeter,” fan Byron Pillay told Al Jazeera. “This is a moment of immense pride; Clive Barker once made us dream, and now Hugo Broos is making those dreams come true.”
Regardless of what comes next, South Africa's achievement is historic for the Belgian coach, who will end a managerial career spanning nearly four decades after the 2026 World Cup. “It was an emotional moment,” Broos, 74, said after the match. “We came to Mexico and wanted to survive the group stage… and for me, it is truly an emotional moment, not only because we won the match, but also because, as I said before, this might be one of the last matches of my career.”
Shortly after the victory, the South African government congratulated the team, saying the win “reflects the determination, discipline, and fighting spirit of the team on one of the biggest sporting stages in the world.” “The performance has inspired hope and excitement among South Africans at home and abroad, while showcasing the country's football talent to the world,” the statement read. “ALL OF US. ALL IN. KAOFELA.”
Diplomats, ambassadors, and politicians flooded social media with congratulations as fans worldwide enjoyed the glory. For Sahil Ebrahim, Wednesday's win was a deja vu moment upgraded from 2010. “The 2010 celebration was more about the joy of hosting, but in terms of football achievement, this performance in its purest sense is what the whole nation celebrates,” he told Al Jazeera.
“Today you saw a team that believes in itself,” Broos said, who took charge of South African men's football in 2021. “On Sunday, you'll see again a team that believes in itself and will fight for 90 minutes, and more if needed.” The unexpected victory seemed to satisfy a nation whose journey to the tournament was delayed by an administrative error that nearly turned into farce. “Whatever comes next is a bonus – reaching the round of 16 would be a performance beyond expectation,” Kohler said. “But there is belief they can beat Canada; they are not considered giants of world football, and that is also an advantage when they need to go to Los Angeles to play rather than in Canada.”
Broos, clearly, is the team's biggest supporter. “I think we played a very good tactical match. It was very good; everyone did their job well. I am very proud of my team's performance.”
