SA football legend Teko Modise has proclaimed that Orlando Pirates teenage sensation Relebohile Mofokeng is far better and ahead of his peers in the DStv Premier Soccer League.
Mofokeng was handed his first international cap by Bafana coach Hugo Broos during their emphatic 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier match against Zimbabwe in Bloemfontein last week.
The 19-year-old was also named in the Cosafa Cup preliminary squad that will be headed by Bafana assistant coach Helman Mkhalele later this month.
Joining him in the fray are also some of the exciting youngsters that burst onto the PSL scene and got staunch SA football fans talking.
Kaizer Chiefs duo Samkelo Zwane and Mduduzi Shabalala, TS Galaxy’s Puso Dithejane, and Stellenbosch FC’s Antonio van Wyk and Devin Titus all form part of Mkhalele’s Cosafa preliminary squad.
Despite all these young players who turned things up at their respective clubs, Modise, who also donned the black and white of Orlando Pirates, believes Mofokeng is far ahead of his peers and congratulated him on securing his first cap for Bafana Bafana.
“Mofokeng is far better and ahead of his peers. And kudos to Orlando Pirates for protecting him and coach Jose Riveiro for believing in the young man and giving him more minutes,” Modise said.
“Some other young players when given more minutes, tend to choke sometimes but the boy (Mofokeng) has handled it well and has been one of the outstanding players for Orlando Pirates last season.
“I also thought he would have been one of the players at the Afcon [in Ivory Coast this year] because even if he doesn’t play, just being in the national team helps a young player to have the hunger to play for the national team.
“In 2008 when we went for Afcon [in Ghana], Itumeleng Khune never played a single match but what happened afterward? He became the best goalkeeper in the country and for the national team as well.
“So, it’s important to make the young players understand the national team environment and I am glad that Mofokeng finally made his debut for Bafana Bafana. That is what you need for the youngsters, just to create that hunger and I think it will help him as well to be level-headed. I think he could have made his debut a long time ago.”
The upcoming Cosafa regional tournament will kick off on June 26 until July 7 and Mkhalele is expected to announce his final squad in the coming days.
The pool games will be played from June 26 to July 3, 2024, with the semifinals on July 5 and the final and third-place play-off on July 7.
Full 45-man preliminary squad:
Goalkeepers: Melusi Buthelezi, Olwethu Mzimela, Sipho Chaine, Bruce Bvuma
Defenders: Zuko Mdunyelwa, Thabang Matuludi, Thabiso Monyane, Sergio Kammies, Deano van Rooyen, Khulekani Shezi, Keanu Cupido, Thabo Maloisane, MacBeth Mahlangu, Simphiwe Mcineka, Keegan Allan, Rushwin Dortley, Thabo Sesane, Athenkosi Mcaba, Bilal Baloyi, Malebogo Modise, Bradley Cross, Samukelo Kabini, Fawaaz Basadien
Midfielders: Thalente Mbatha, Liam Bern, Brooklyn Poggenpoel, Siphesihle Mkhize, Samkelo Zwane, Chumani Butsaka, Antonio van Wyk, Mduduzi Shabalala, Phuso Ditejane, Luvuyo Phewa, Siphesihle Maduna, Ethan Brooks, Rowan Human
Forwards: Relebohile Mofokeng, Devon Titus, Mokibelo Ramabu, Kamogelo Sebelebele, Siyabonga Mabena, Asanele Velebayi, Lesiba Nku, Tshepang Moremi, Shandre Campbell, Mfundo Thikazi, Ashley Cupido, Lehlohonolo Mojela, Lungelo Nguse
THE 2024 COSAFA CUP DRAW
GROUP A
South Africa
Mozambique
Eswatini
Botswana
GROUP B
Zambia
Team to be confirmed
Comoros
Zimbabwe
GROUP C
Angola
Namibia
Lesotho
Seychelles
