2025 AFCON: Mohamed Aboutrika slams Hugo Broos after South Africa's elimination

Egyptian football icon Mohamed Aboutrika has sharply criticized South Africa coach Hugo Broos over his recent complaints about the organisation of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

Broos, speaking at a press conference, had expressed frustration over what he described as a lack of “vibe” compared to the 2023 tournament in Ivory Coast and singled out CAF for delays in team travel.

But after South Africa’s 2-1 defeat to Cameroon on Sunday, which saw the Bafana Bafana exit the tournament, Aboutrika condemned the Belgian coach’s remarks as arrogant and unwarranted.

“Honestly, I want Hugo Broos to be knocked out. The arrogance is obvious, and his comments are very irritating. Everyone is praising the stadiums and the organisation, yet he’s the only one criticising," he said.

"He complains about taking 45 minutes from the hotel to the training ground, even though you finished second in your group and threw away top spot. No one else complained like this. It clearly shows arrogance.

"Honestly, I want him out of the tournament. I don’t like arrogance, especially when everyone is going in one direction and you’re going the opposite way," Aboutrika added.

Looking ahead, Cameroon will face hosts Morocco in the quarter-finals on Friday, January 9, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, with kickoff set for 19:00 GMT.