Hugo Broos recreates Bafana AFCON memories at OR Tambo

South Africa returned from Cote d’Ivoire as bronze medalists for the first time since 2000 and were also showered with praise on the continent.

Broos, who won the competition with Cameroon in 2017, says he believed from the beginning that his players had the ability to impress.

READ: Hugo Broos lauded for Bafana squad selection as World Cup hopes raised

"You know you go to AFCON and you hope first of all that you can achieve to pass the group stages. It was not easy with teams like Tunisia and Mali and then you get Morocco, before the game [against Morocco] I was talking with my staff and we were saying 'How we are going to beat that team?' but we did it again and I think from that moment the confidence in the team and also in the players was so big," Broos said.

Although Bafana’s achievement is still commendable, there was still a sense of disappointment from Broos not to have been crowned winners.

The hosts beat Nigeria 2-1 in the final on Sunday, a game the coach watched with a lot of what-ifs.

"We were very, very, very close to the final. We were very disappointed also after the game against Nigeria but yes, I saw again the team was really exhausted against DRC and we fought for it for 90 minutes and we got the third place. I said it many times and I'll repeat it again, I'm so proud of that group. To see how those guys worked during the last five weeks to achieve only one dream and doing well, doing very well in this AFCON," Broos added.

Broos was quick to further single out the unsung heroes of the tournament – his backroom staff.

"I also want to thank the staff and what I mean with this is you know when you achieve something like this, third place, people are talking about the coach. People are talking about the players but nobody talks about all those other people who work day and night nearly for four/five weeks. 

"I'm thinking of the medical staff, those people were working until 12/1 o’clock in the morning to get the players in good shape again, to give massages, to give treatment, they were always there for the players."