Mosimane Compares Mofokeng to Real Madrid Star, Explains Why SA Fails to Produce Top Players

• Pitso Mosimane has listed some of the things that have deprived South Africa from producing world class players like other countries
• The former Mamelodi Sundowns coach addressed why Mzansi players are not competing at the top which has also affected the country's national team
• The South African tactician compared Relebohile Mofokeng to a Real Madrid star while nailing his point

Former Mamelodi Sundowns Pitso Mosimane explained why South Africa has failed to produce world class players like Sadio Mane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Vinicius Junior, Neymar and a host of others.

The South African coach spoke extensively on the development of football in Mzansi and believes the country has enough talents to be competing with other top players in the World.

The 60-year-old coach has worked with top sides in the Middle East while competing with Ronaldo and the rest, he has also coached Al Ahly and Sundowns at the World Club Cup competition where his teams faced top players from different parts of the world.

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Mosimane explains why SA is struggling to make top stars

In a recent interview on eNCA as per GOAL, Mosimane listed some of the things that are making South Africa struggle to produce World Class players despite having numerous talents in the Premier Soccer League.

"I’ve faced players like Sadio Mane, Ronaldo, Riyad Mahrez, and N'Golo Kante on the pitch, and it’s made me realize the real challenge we face in South Africa—why we don’t have players competing at that level," Mosimane said on eNCA, as reported by KickOff.

"Everyone talks about football development, but no one addresses how to develop it. It’s about the right programs, positioning, and ball manipulation. These are the things that make players like Neymar, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo so special."

The former Abha Club head coach compared Orlando Pirates forward Relebohile Mofokeng to Real Madrid star Rodrygo Goes.

The Mzansi mentor believes the Bafana Bafana star and the Brazilian international are the same size, but the Real Madrid star is rated more than the Pirates winger due to how he's managed himself physically.

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"We need to focus on the physical aspects too—speed is part of that. Nutrition, and player conditioning, it’s all crucial. It’s not about size—look at Rodrygo, he’s the same size as Mofokeng at Pirates. It’s a complete package," he added.

The decline of South African players in European top leagues

South African football has had the likes of Benni McCarthy, Lucas Radebe, Steven Pienaar and a host of others in the past, but the pool of talents in the local league is not dominating the world scene like before.

In recent years, the presence of South African players in top European leagues has declined significantly.

This drop raises questions about the current state of talent development and the pathways available for players in South Africa to reach elite levels.

Pitso Mosimane's coaching career and achievements

Pitso Mosimane's career as a coach has seen him achieve significant landmarks across various clubs and competitions.

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SuperSport United (2001–2007): Mosimane began his head coaching career with SuperSport United in South Africa, where he secured the SAA Supa 8 title in 2004.

Mamelodi Sundowns (2012–2020): During his tenure, he transformed the team into a dominant force which they are till this moment.

At Sundowns, Mosimane won five Premier Soccer League titles, two Nedbank Cups, two Telkom Knockout Cups, and the prestigious CAF Champions League in 2016.

Al Ahly (2020–2022): Mosimane continued his success with the Egyptian giants, leading them to back-to-back CAF Champions League titles in 2020 and 2021, and securing the CAF Super Cup twice.

Al Ahli Saudi FC (2022–2023): He then move to Saudi Arabia joining Al Ahli were he guided the team to victory in the Saudi Arabian First Division League, earning them promotion to the Pro League, but left the club after doing so.

Al Wahda (June 2023 – November 2023)

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In June 2023, Mosimane joined Abu Dhabi side Al Wahda but lasted just five months on the job after the club announced the termination of his contract by mutual consent.

Abha (January 2024 - May 2024)

At the start a new year, Mosimane joined Saudi Arabia club Abha in January on a four-month contract which would take him to the end of the season.

Esteghlal (October 2024 – January 2025)

Mosimane was then appointed coach of Iranian club Esteghlal in October. However, he terminated his contract with the club three months after due to financial problems.

Mosimane's wife breaks silence on Pitso-Esteghlal issue

Briefly News earlier reported that Pitso Mosimane wife, Moira Tlhagale, opened up on what really happened betweeen her husband and Iranian side Esteghlal FC.

The former Al Ahly coach terminated his contract with the Asian club after him and his technical team were denied payment of their wages after putting in so much work at the club.

Source: Briefly News