‘Embarrassing Players’ - South Africa Under Fire Over Humiliating World Cup Squad Unveiling

South Africa Football Association (SAFA) and head coach Hugo Broos are facing a backlash over the manner in which they chose to unveil the final World Cup squad.

Broos unveiled his final 26-man squad headed to the World Cup, cutting off six players from the preliminary list of 32 that was released last week.

The unveiling was done in a ceremony attended by the country’s President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria on Tuesday night.

However, a decision to invite all the 32 players before Broos called his 26 one-by-one on stage has been slammed as the six who missed out were left watching proceedings from the window in a room where the players had been anxiously waiting to know if they made the cut.

Broos named a team composed of young and experienced players with Mamelodi Sundowns (eight) and Orlando Pirates (seven) dominating the list but there was no room for Kaizer Chiefs trio Brandon Petersen, Lebohang Maboe and Thabiso Monyane.

Pirates’ Patrick Maswangayi, Sundowns’ Thapelo Morena and Brooklyn Poggenpoel of Durban City were the other three cut off from the preliminary list. The fact that they watched on as their peers celebrated their inclusion has been heavily criticised as being insensitive and inhumane, many in South Africa wondering why Broos did not just release his final 26 before meeting the President.

“#BafanaPride look how painful it was for the other 6 players left out, having to watch the ceremony through the window 💔💔😢,” one observer commented on social media.

“Why bring these players at the function when they knew very well that they are not going to be included? This was just a terrible idea,” another one pointed out.

“This was pure disrespect and so low from SAFA and Bafana...There was absolutely no need to call all the preliminary squad and announce the squad like that. Embarrassing players, professionals for a team not even selected on merit,” another one said.

“This nonsense is dehumanising and should never be allowed again. Release the list while players are sitting at home,” said a disappointed fan.

Some fans are worried about what that idea would do to the players’ mental health.

“This would affect these players' mental health, they should have prepared them for this heartbreaking moment,” commented another concerned fan.

“They should not have been invited to this ceremony. Some players may never recover from this. They were set for embarrassment. They could have had this ceremony at the sendoff with the president.”

“This is abuse at its best. They could have invited the 26 squad members only rather than embarrassing the 6 guys. This is totally disrespectful and should be condemned in the strongest terms,” another observer weighed in.

“Some players won't recover from that. There was no need for a preliminary squad. There was no need to invite players that won't be in the final squad. I honestly don't think they considered how those left out players and family will fill.”

At the World Cup, South Africa are in Group A and will play the tournament’s opening match against Mexico on June 11 before taking on the Czech Republic and South Korea.