Bafana Bafana fans, brace yourselves: Hugo Broos isn’t just thinking about retirement after the 2026 World Cup — he’s already picking out the next manager, and it’s his long-time assistant Helman Mkhalele. Yes, the same Helman who’s been Broos’ right-hand man since 2021 and helped steer South Africa to a bronze medal at the 2023 AFCON.
Broos’ timing couldn’t be better. After a 3-0 hammering of Rwanda on October 14, Bafana qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 2010, topping Group C and sending South Africans into a celebratory frenzy (and probably a little nervous about the next challenge). With the Belgian announcing his exit after Canada, Mexico, and the USA host the global showpiece, the “Broos era” will be history — and Mkhalele is seemingly ready to inherit the keys to the Bafana bus.
“Helman should become the coach after me,” Broos said, trying to sound casual while basically saying, “Please don’t wreck my legacy.” He added that the transition would maintain continuity, with a sprinkle of extra African flavour because, well, he’s European. According to Broos, 95% of what Mkhalele thinks lines up perfectly with his own brainwaves. Sounds like a match made in tactical heaven — or at least in a very organized Belgian-South African spreadsheet.
There’s one small hiccup: Mkhalele only has a SAFA Level 1 badge. Broos kindly reminded him he’ll need a UEFA Pro Licence to officially coach a national team. “It’s not my job to do that,” Broos said, but he definitely dropped the hint: “Get qualified, or you might not be allowed to touch the whistle.”
So, in short: Bafana Bafana will probably be in good hands, just as soon as Helman does a crash course in European paperwork. FIFA, watch out — this African-European combo might just run the show.
