​South Africa Coach: Group Stage Qualification Was a Huge Success; I'm Proud of the Team

June 29 – In the World Cup Round of 32, South Africa were eliminated after a 0-1 loss to Canada.

After the match, South Africa's head coach, 74-year-old Belgian Tom Saintfiet, spoke at the press conference.

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Before the tournament, you clearly stated this would be your last World Cup with the team. I know you wanted to go further, but today it's over. History is often written in haste. Right now, with all these emotions, what's going through your mind? After giving so many years to South African football, what are you thinking as you face the end?

I think it's unwise to make decisions in a moment of extreme disappointment, so I won't talk about my personal future right now.

On the other hand, we must be honest with ourselves. We lost today because we were clearly outmatched in terms of strength and speed. Compared to our opponents, we struggled in many physical duels. Speed here doesn't just mean running speed – it's also about mental speed and the execution of passing. Just look at how quickly Canada transitioned, while we often hesitated before making decisions in our buildup. These are areas we need to work on. I've said this many times in South Africa before, but no one believed me. Modern football isn't just about technique; it's also about power and pace. If you lack those, and you face a team that thrives on them – and speed and power are Canada's biggest weapons – then it's always going to be tough. It was a difficult game. But if we look back at this campaign, I think everyone has every reason to be satisfied.

South Africa hadn't qualified for a World Cup through the qualifiers in 24 years – we did that. Before the tournament, everyone hoped we would reach the knockout stage, and some even predicted it. We achieved that. Yes, we're disappointed because we wanted to win, but let's be honest, reaching the Round of 16 would have required something close to a miracle. There's no need to be consumed by disappointment. Overall, the boys did well. I am very happy and genuinely proud of my team.

With the World Cup over, the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers are coming soon. Given your situation, you've hinted at staying or leaving. Do you have any advice for the SAFA? Or more directly, do you personally want to stay for the next AFCON? If not, what direction should SAFA take?

First, if the federation needs my advice, I'm always available. That's no problem. Second, as I said, I'll think about my next steps over the next few days. I've always said this would definitely be my last World Cup – that's certain.

But what happens in the coming days or weeks largely depends on SAFA's vision and whether they see me in it. We'll see. I won't answer that directly for now.

I know the match just ended. You mentioned before the game that Canada doesn't give opponents any breathing room. Now that you've faced them, what do you think of their chances against the Netherlands or Morocco? Do you think they can compete?

Sure. Both the Netherlands and Morocco are extremely strong. If you ask me how I see Canada's chances in the next round, I think they have a real shot. Their style is very physical.

They are powerful, fast, and represent what modern football looks like. With the unity and spirit they've shown, they are definitely capable of causing a surprise in the next round.

Coach, you said yesterday that reaching the Round of 16 would be a miracle. Now that the team has been eliminated in the Round of 32, how would you sum up South Africa's performance at the 2026 World Cup?

I think I've answered that already – this was undoubtedly a huge success. Before the tournament, no one was sure we'd even make it out of the group. I knew the level of competition here would be at least two tiers above our domestic league, and most of our players play at home. I think everyone saw our weaknesses today. These are challenges South African football needs to tackle together – not just with the national team, but with clubs as well.

We can't be content just because we've won a CAF Champions League. The physical demands and pressures at the highest level are far more brutal, and we've experienced that in this tournament. But the players showed great spirit, played some good football, and delivered some pleasing results. I'm still very proud of my team. We achieved something significant. Of course, I know where we fell short, and those are the areas we need to improve in the months and years ahead.

There has been some controversy over your selections and decisions during your time with South Africa. But everyone acknowledges the positive traits you've instilled. Whether you stay or leave, if a new coach takes over, what would you want them to preserve?

If a new manager comes in, I wouldn't try to tell him what to do. He has his own ideas and approach, and he doesn't need me to guide him. I'm not here to teach him.

His advantage is that he takes over a mature and talented squad. The rest is up to him – how he manages it and how he improves on the weaknesses we've exposed. That's all I can say. It's not my job to advise the new coach. If someone is appointed, I trust they'll know what they're doing.

Source: YouTube