Xinhua
08 Jun 2026, 12:17 GMT+10
MEXICO CITY, June 7 (Xinhua) -- South Africa coach Hugo Broos said his team must stick to its game plan and ignore the crowd when it faces co-host Mexico in Thursday's World Cup opener at the Mexico City Stadium.
The Belgian said the match would provide a unique opportunity for his players, but warned them against being overwhelmed by the experience.
"It's going to be a special and fantastic experience because my players have never been in this situation," he told reporters on Sunday.
"It's going to be very important that we stick to our game plan. We all know how many Mexicans will be in the stadium. But we're clear on what we need to do when they have the ball and when we have possession. We'll work on the final details in our next two training sessions. Everything is focused on this game."
Broos said Mexico's strength lies in the quality and depth of its squad, rather than any individual player.
The South African coach said his side would need to produce a high-level performance against a team he described as committed and ambitious.
"All of Mexico's players are dangerous," he said. "They have great movement and solidarity. They want to be world champions. They are playing well and are committed. They are a very good team and we'll have to be at our best if we want a good result."
Broos said South Africa had prepared for Mexico's aggressive style and expected the host to play with a particularly high tempo on Thursday.
"I do not have one particular name from Mexico that worries me because they have many quality players. I expect them to perform at a high level next Thursday. They are a very complete and aggressive team across the pitch, something we will try to balance out," the coach said.
Broos also downplayed the value of any recent footage Mexico may have studied of his team, saying the opponent was already familiar with South Africa.
"I was also surprised that the highlights of this match against Jamaica were all over social media. But Mexico's coach does not need that match against Jamaica to know us, he probably knows more about us," he added.
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