Hugo Broos during the Bafana Bafana Squad Announcement at SABC Studio in Johannesburg on 19 March 2025 ©Alche Greeff/BackpagePix
Saturday Mar 21, 2026. 13:00
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos insists Nkosinathi Sibisi’s critics don’t know anything about football after the Orlando Pirates defender was included in his squad for the double-header against Panama.
Sibisi has come in for heavy criticism on social media in the wake of his missed penalty against Casric Stars in the Nedbank Cup round of 16 last month which saw the Buccaneers eliminated 5-4 in a shootout.
The 30-year-old centre-back has been a pillar in the heart of defence for Pirates this season, helping them keep eight clean sheets in the Betway Premiership to remain in the hunt for the title.
Broos defended Sibisi’s selection for the two friendly matches against Los Canaleros later this month and hit out at social media for trash-talking the Bucs captain.
“Being under pressure because you missed a penalty is the most ridiculous thing you can ever imagine,” Broos said.
“He (Sibisi) took his responsibility as the captain of Pirates, and OK, he missed it, but he’s not the first player to miss a penalty… Cape Verde missed five times against us (in the 2023 AFCON quarter-finals).
“It shows what social media is… it’s trash; it’s just trash. When you put someone under pressure and criticise him because he missed a penalty, then you don’t know anything about football.”