South Africa coach Hugo Broos slams referee over red card in World Cup opener

South Africa's head coach Hugo Broos publicly criticised the referee after his team lost 2‑0 to Mexico in the World Cup opening match. He said the red card shown to defender Themba Joane was unwarranted and highlighted a perceived double standard, noting that Lionel Messi was not penalised for a similar incident involving Algerian player Issa Mandi.

Broos announced that South Africa would appeal the decision, which FIFA later upgraded to a three‑match ban, meaning Joane would miss the remainder of the tournament if the team advances. The coach described the sanction as “very severe” and called for consistency in the application of the rules.