Broos raves about Mbokazi after Salah task

By Velile Mnyandu
28th December 2025

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has continued to sing the praises of left-footed centre-back Mbekezeli Mbokazi, insisting the 20-year-old is destined for the very top of the game after another eye-catching performance at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Broos was particularly impressed by Mbokazi’s display in Friday’s narrow 1–0 defeat to Egypt, where the young defender was tasked with containing global superstar Mohamed Salah.

Despite ending on the losing side against the Pharaohs, Broos described Mbokazi’s performance as “special,” saying the Chicago Fire defender proved he belongs on the biggest stages in world football.

Broos also reiterated his reservations about Mbokazi’s recent move to Major League Soccer, after Chicago Fire signed the defender from Orlando Pirates. While he understands the appeal of the move, Broos maintains that Mbokazi’s talent deserves exposure in Europe’s top leagues, possibly in the Spanish La Liga or French Ligue 1...

"I made some people angry a few weeks ago when I said the MLS move is not the best move for him. Yesterday, you saw why, because for me he was the man of the match against Egypt.

"One thing I can remember in the second half, there was a long ball from deep to Mo Salah, and Mbokazi gave him no chance at all. That shows the quality of Mbokazi, and now you can understand why I'll be very angry if this guy ruins his career."

READ: Uganda and Tanzania play out rain-soaked draw in AFCON Group C clash

When asked whether Mbokazi’s rapid rise could be compared to that of former Belgian and Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany, Broos was cautious not to draw direct parallels. However, he acknowledged that certain similarities in their profiles could also help Mbokazi’s rise.

Looking ahead to Bafana Bafana’s final group-stage encounter against Zimbabwe, Broos doesn’t expect many changes to their approach, which has worked against Egypt and Angola. The 73-year-old coach will definitely not set his team up for a draw.

"From what I saw from Zimbabwe against Angola and Egypt, they played nearly the same game except with other players because there were a lot of changes from the first match. Their strategy will not change. They have to win to have a chance, but we don't have to look too much at them, we must focus on our game to get the three points."