FOOTBALL NEWS - Former Bafana Bafana captain Aaron ‘Mbazo’ Mokoena has declared that playing in the Fifa World Cup 2026 means you are among the best in the world.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster ahead of South Africa’s opening match against Mexico today (11 June), the legendary defender shared his thoughts on the significance of the global tournament.
Mokoena, who still holds the record as the most capped Bafana Bafana player, famously featured in two previous world cups; he represented his country in Korea and Japan in 2002 and on home soil in 2010.
“Their selection prove their elite status.”
The former skipper emphasised that the mere fact these players were selected for the squad proves their elite status, noting that the world cup is the ultimate stage to test oneself against the finest talent on the planet.
According to Mokoena, the tournament offers the ultimate motivation, and the players should not require any extra incentive when stepping onto the grandest stage in football.
Reflecting on his own journey, Mokoena recalled dreaming of these heights whilst playing barefoot on the dusty pitches of Boipatong.
His rise to stardom began when he joined Jomo Cosmos, which quickly led to a high-profile move to Ajax Amsterdam in the Netherlands. He also made history as the youngest Bafana Bafana player at the 1998 African Cup of Nations in Burkina Faso.
Throughout his early career, his biggest ambitions were to play alongside iconic defender Lucas Radebe and to buy a house for his mother, who raised him as a single parent in a four-room hostel house in Boipatong.
Mokoena’s core message to the current squad is to believe in their own abilities.
He explained that walking out into a capacity stadium is an unparalleled experience.
Mokoena is urging the team to play for themselves, their families and their country.
Having spent a significant portion of his club career playing in England, Mokoena assured Bafana Bafana that the entire nation of South Africa is rallying behind them.
When asked about local Vaal Triangle players Tshepang Moremi, Relebohile Mofokeng, and Thapelo Maseko, he added that backgrounds no longer matter and it is now simply time for them to showcase their talent to the world.
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