Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Ricardo Goss has hit back at critics following the side’s defeat to Mexico in the 2026 FIFA World Cup opener saying he didn’t expect it especially from people that have been in the game.
Bafana lost 2-0 to the co-hosts while finishing the game with nine men after receiving two red cards in their first game on the global stage in 16 years.
Coach Hugo Broos and his men received backlash for the team’s conservative approach against El-Tri.
Bafana who are at the bottom of Group A face Czechia on Thursday in Atlanta in their attempt to get back into the tournament and try to qualify for the second round of the competition.
Goss spoke to the media in Pachuca in an interview carried on Prime Sports With Mahlatse. The keeper expressed his disappointment while also adding that Bafana can draw inspiration from their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign in the World Cup.
“It’s just disappointing that people that have actually been in the game the comments they give you know, it’s disappointing in a way,” said Goss.
“And for some it’s people that you played with, you know, you don’t expect people that you were with to speak like so much negative stuff. But yeah, look, I think it’s everyone’s dream to play the World Cup, so I think maybe they’ve also wanted to be here in a way.
“But we are a severe positive bunch I think you guys have seen that. We’ve been with some ups and I keep going back to that Ivory Coast AFCON that we lost the first game 2-0 and we went on to get the bronze medal. So, I think it’s something we can draw from, it’s something that we can go back to and look at it, what did we do after we lost 2-0 against Mali.
“And I think if we can implement that into this World Cup, obviously it’s two different tournaments as well, and the quality is not the same. But if we can get that mentality that we had going to the Namibia game or is it Tunisia, I’m not sure who we played before I think we can get out of the group.”
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