Ex-Barcelona star gives candid verdict on Bafana’s Rele Mofokeng

Ex-Barcelona star and current Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen has showered praise on Bafana Bafana’s emerging talent following their two-legged international friendly series, specifically labelling Orlando Pirates sensation Relebohile Mofokeng as a player who can “make the difference” on the world stage.

South Africa’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup hit a speed bump on Tuesday night as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to the Central Americans at a sold-out DHL Stadium. The result marked the first home loss for Hugo Broos since taking the reins in May 2021, ending a remarkable three-year unbeaten run on South African soil.

The Rele Mofokeng Factor

Despite the narrow defeat, Christiansen was left impressed by the technical quality within the South African ranks. When asked by the media which individuals caught his eye, the former European striker didn’t hesitate to point out the Pirates youngster.

“The South African side, Mofokeng, is a very good player. He can make the difference,” Christiansen noted. “He’s fast, technically skilled, and very strong. Mofokeng has a good view; he can give good passes, and as a young player, he’s very important for the future.”

Mofokeng wasn’t the only player to earn the Panama mentor’s respect. Christiansen highlighted the balance of the squad, touching on the European experience of Lyle Foster and the defensive stability provided by United States-based Mbekezeli Mbokazi, who scored Bafana’s lone goal with a 64th-minute screamer.

“You have Foster up front with experience, midfielders who cover a lot of space, and a good goalkeeper [Ronwen Williams],” Christiansen added. “Also, their full-backs are technically strong and good in attack… Mbokazi is a good centre-back with a lot of quality. And we also had the player from Minnesota [Bongokuhle Hlongwane]; yes, he’s also a good player. I could mention everyone.”

Clinical Panama Edge Wasteful Bafana

While Bafana Bafana dominated large spells of the encounter in Cape Town—much like they did in the 1-1 draw in Durban—a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal proved costly.

Jose Cordoba opened the scoring for the visitors in the 59th minute against the run of play. Although Mbokazi momentarily restored parity with his thunderous long-range effort, Jiovany Ramos snatched the winner for Panama in the 77th minute to silence the Cape Town faithful.

As Hugo Broos fine-tunes his final selection for the June showpiece in North America, the endorsement from a seasoned coach like Christiansen suggests that while the results were mixed, the individual quality within the Bafana camp is gaining international recognition.