Relebohile Mofokeng Snubbed As Club Legend Names Orlando Pirates’ Best Player This Season

• Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis have both been snubbed as an Orlando Pirates legend named the club's best player in the just-concluded season
• The two South African internationals were influential in ending Mamelodi Sundowns' dominance and leading the Sea Robbers to their first league title in 14 years
• The Soweto giants' great gave reasons behind his pick, and the qualities the player exhibits while leading the club to the Betway Premiership title

Orlando Pirates legend Edward “Magents” Motale has named the player he believes stood out most during the club’s treble-winning campaign.

The Soweto-based club secured a domestic treble in Abdeslam Ouaddou’s debut season at the club, wrapping up the Betway Premiership title last weekend after already lifting both the MTN8 and Carling Knockout Cup trophies.

A major highlight of their league triumph was Sipho Chaine’s exceptional form between the posts, as he set a new top-flight benchmark with 21 clean sheets, breaking Ronwen Williams’ previous record of 18.

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The two South African goalkeepers made the final Bafana Bafana squad list for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but Hugo Broos is expected to play Williams in goal as the Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper remains the captain of the team.

Motale names Chaine Pirates' best player

Speaking in a recent interview, Motale expressed satisfaction with the league's success, calling it a long-awaited achievement for the Sea Robbers, thus ending Sundowns eight-year dominance in the competition.

He added that, in his view, Chaine was the standout performer of the season for Orlando Pirates, pointing not only to his record-breaking shutouts but also to his overall influence on the team’s performances. According to Motale, the goalkeeper provided strong leadership from the back and played a key role in organising the defensive unit.

There are talks about Oswin Appollis and Relebohile Mofokeng being the best players for the Buccaneers this season after their contributions in attack.

Appollis joined the Bucs last summer from Polokwane City, and he immediately fit into Ouaddou's system, while Mofokeng's position was changed by the Moroccan tactician, which proved to be a blessing for the South African international in terms of goal contribution and his general play.

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Motale comments on Chaine's World Cup selection

The Orlando Pirates legend further argued that Chaine deserves serious consideration for a place in the Bafana Bafana setup, while also stressing that missing out would not diminish his contribution or quality.

Motale concluded that international selection is always competitive, noting that not every deserving player makes a World Cup squad. If Chaine is overlooked for now, he can continue building his case through consistent performances and future opportunities with the national team.

Bafana Bafana's opening fixture at the World Cup would be against one of the host countries, Mexico, on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the Mexico City Stadium.

Chiefs to battle Pirates for ex-Sundowns midfielder

Briefly News earlier reported that Kaizer Chiefs have joined the queue of top Premier Soccer League clubs interested in signing a South African midfielder in the summer

The former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder featured in over 20 matches in the Betway Premiership this season and has been rated as one of the best players for his club.

Source: Briefly News