Stephen Eustaquio struck in second-half stoppage time in Los Angeles to send Canada into the next round and bring South Africa's memorable tournament to an end. Despite the disappointment, Broos insisted he was proud of what his players had achieved.
The result also marked what the 74-year-old believes will be his final FIFA World Cup. However, the Belgian stopped short of confirming whether he would also step away as South Africa coach.
"It's not clever to take decisions when you are disappointed," Broos told reporters after the match.
"I will see in the next days what I will do for the future. For sure, this is my last World Cup."
Broos had already described the tournament as a success before the Canada clash, highlighting the progress made by his young squad. Since taking charge in 2021, he has transformed South Africa into a disciplined and competitive team, guiding them back to the World Cup for the first time since 2010 and helping them reach the knockout stage for the first time in the nation's history.
South Africa recovered impressively after opening their campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Mexico, a match in which two players were sent off. They responded with a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic before defeating South Korea 1-0 to secure a place in the last 32.
Against Canada, Bafana Bafana spent long periods under pressure, with goalkeeper Ronwen Williams producing several outstanding saves to keep the match level. Their resistance was finally broken in added time when Eustaquio scored the decisive goal.
Broos leaves the tournament with his reputation enhanced after overseeing one of South Africa's greatest World Cup campaigns.
