Michael Masilo Modubi: Former Bafana Bafana Appointed Head Coach of European Club
- A former Bafana Bafana star has been handed a coaching job in Europe amid reports linking him with a return to South Africa
- The South African tactician has been given a tedious task in his new role, and he's expected to deliver at the end of the 2026/27 season
- The 40-year-old Seshego-born tactician continues to grow his managerial profile outside the shores of South Africa
South African tactician Michael Masilo Modubi has landed a new coaching job in Europe ahead of the 2026/27 season.
The former Bafana Bafana midfielder has spent most of his football career in Europe, playing for various clubs before calling it a career in 2017 to go into coaching.
Source: Twitter
The 40-year-old coach started his football career in 1992 with Real Gunners, before moving to South African club Ria Stars in 1995. After just one year with the Pietersburg club, Modubi was scouted from Transnet Sport School of Excellence in 2003 and was sold to Chelsea F.C. The English Premier League side sold him to KVC Westerlo, a club where he made a name for himself.
He joined the Blues alongside two other South African players, late Jeffrey Ntuka and the late Boy-Boy Mosia. They were unable to get a work permit when they landed in England, and the London-based club decided to send them on loan to Westerlo.
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Mosia and Ntuka decided to return to South Africa at some point, but Modubi stayed in Belgium up until he hung up his boots in 2017. Aside from Westerlo, he also played for Dessel Sport and Witgoor Dessel.
Modubi named Turkse FC's new coach
Modubi has been named head coach of Belgian outfit Turkse FC ahead of the 2026/27 campaign. He has joined the likes of Benni McCarthy and Quinton Fortune as one of the South African coaches to work with European clubs.
McCarthy worked as an assistant coach to Erik ten Hag at Manchester United before parting ways with the EPL giants a few years ago, while Fortune recently bagged a new managerial role with the Serbian national team.
Source: Getty Images
Following his playing career, Modubi transitioned into youth coaching before stepping into senior management with KESK Leopoldsburg in Belgium’s third division, guiding them to the promotion play-offs prior to his departure.
According to FARPost, he has now returned to the touchline with Turkse FC, aiming to further establish his coaching trajectory in Belgium.
On the international stage, Modubi earned two caps for the South Africa national team in 2009 under then head coach Joel Natalino Santana.
Another European coaching opportunity for Modubi
Modubi launched his coaching journey in Belgium in 2015, rapidly gaining attention for his possession-heavy, build-from-the-back philosophy, which earned him the nickname “African Pep Guardiola.”
Around three years ago, he narrowly missed out on promotion with Belgian third-division outfit KESK Leopoldsburg after falling short in the playoffs.
Reports from Belgium also suggested that his former KESK Leopoldsburg players staged a strike in protest when the club parted ways with him. Although there were links to a possible return to South Africa in the past three seasons, no move materialised.
Modubi has now been given the responsibility of guiding Turkse FC to promotion and was recently introduced to the media at an official unveiling.
Kaizer Chiefs make a major announcement
Briefly News earlier reported that Kaizer Chiefs unveiled a new milestone in the club's history on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
The Soweto giants joined the likes of Betway Premiership sides Mamelodi Sundowns, TS Galaxy and Stellenbosch FC to have such an incredible feat.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
