Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has given his rationale behind dropping in-form Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen and selecting Siwelele FC shot-stopper Ricardo Goss in the final Fifa 2026 World Cup squad.
The other two goalkeepers who have booked their place for the World Cup are Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana captain Ronwen Williams and Sipho Chaine, who mans the goalposts for Orlando Pirates. The SA team will depart for the World Cup on Sunday.
Petersen has enjoyed a fantastic second round of the Premier Soccer League with Amakhosi and played a crucial role in the club’s revival, which saw the team finish third and qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup.
From the point of view of form, he should have been in the team, and Goss has been heavily criticised for a drop in form.
Goss once conceded an embarrassing seven goals in one match in the 7-4 hammering by Mamelodi Sundowns.
Broos chose Goss based on integration
Broos, however, has indicated that form is not the only factor he takes into account when selecting players for such a big and important tournament as the World Cup.
He said that it was difficult to make the final choice, and he and his assistant Helman Mkhalele discussed the matter for days.
“Petersen was only with us for two days in camp. If you look at all the goalkeepers, they are all very good and all at the same level. But I don’t know Brandon as a person; I only know him as a player, and I couldn’t decide on him on those two days,” Broos said.
He added: “It was just a question of integrating into the team, and that’s why we chose Goss. I don’t know how he will react when he doesn’t start or his reaction to other things or also his personality.
“I spoke to him [Petersen] yesterday evening after we came back from the announcement that I have to choose between three goalkeepers: Goss, Chaine and him.
“I told him I had to choose based on their integration into the team. We had only one good training on Tuesday, and that was it. And that made me select Goss instead of Brandon. It’s not a question of who was better.
“You must think about these things before you make your decision. It was very difficult to choose between two players.”
- Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos dropped in-form Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen from the final FIFA 2026 World Cup squad, selecting Ricardo Goss of Siwelele FC instead.
- The other goalkeepers chosen are Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns, Bafana captain) and Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates).
- Despite Petersen’s strong performance in the Premier Soccer League and helping Chiefs secure third place, Broos prioritized team integration over current form.
- Broos cited limited time with Petersen (only two days in camp) and concerns about how well he would fit into the team dynamic as key reasons for choosing Goss.
- The decision was challenging and involved detailed discussions; Broos emphasized that the choice was not about who was the better player but about team cohesion.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has given his rationale behind dropping in-form Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper
Petersen has enjoyed a fantastic second round of the Premier Soccer League with
From the point of view of form, he should have been in the team, and Goss has been heavily criticised for a drop in form.
Goss once conceded an embarrassing seven goals in one match in the 7-4 hammering by Mamelodi
Broos, however, has indicated that form is not the only factor he takes into account when selecting players for such a big and important tournament as the World Cup.
He said that it was difficult to make the final choice, and he and his assistant Helman
“Petersen was only with us for two days in camp. If you look at all the goalkeepers, they are all very good and all at the same level. But I don’t know
He added: "It was just a question of integrating into the team, and that's why we chose Goss. I don't know how he will react when he doesn't start or his reaction to other things or also his personality.
"I spoke to him [Petersen] yesterday evening after we came back from the announcement that I have to choose between three goalkeepers: Goss, Chaine and him.
"I told him I had to choose based on their integration into the team. We had only one good training on Tuesday, and that was it.
“You must think about these things before you make your decision. It was very difficult to choose between two players.”
