Belgian Broos lifted the Cup of Nations with Cameroon in 2017 but then a short while later was out of a job.
Now with two Cup of Nations qualifications, including a bronze medal last time out, and a trip next year to the 2026 World Cup, Broos believes he has more to show for this stint with Bafana.
“You know, if I’m honest, I think what we have done with South Africa is better than what I did with Cameroon,” Broos said.
“We built a team here, and that team progressed day by day. When you go to AFCON, you always have ambitions, but you never really think that at some point you will have the opportunity to play in the final.
“For 95% of this group, it was their first AFCON (in 2024), so you don’t expect that. But the progression we made was enormous. Cameroon, by contrast, were a team that were used to playing at AFCON.
“They were seen as one of the favourites to win AFCON, so it was a bit different, and the pressure there was much higher. When I look at what we have done here with South Africa, finishing third at the previous AFCON, now qualifying twice in a row for AFCON, and also qualifying for the World Cup, that’s something I didn’t do with Cameroon.”
Broos says despite the trophy win with the Indomitable Lions, he looks at the bigger picture as a coach.
“We won AFCON with Cameroon, and four months later we were out of World Cup qualification and Nigeria went through. So for me, I am happier with the work I have done here (South Africa) than with the work I did with Cameroon," Broos said.
“With Cameroon, success at AFCON is expected, but I don’t think anyone in this room, and even myself, expected two years ago that we (Bafana Bafana) would reach the semi-finals.
“So yes, it was a great campaign, and it’s still not finished, not at all. We’ll see what happens in a few weeks, and then again I will try to end my career with a fantastic performance (at the World Cup).”
South Africa open their 2025 AFCON campaign with a Group B clash against Angola in Marrakech on Monday.
