Teboho Mokoena breaks silence on yellow card saga

Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena has finally opened up about the immense personal pressure and public backlash he faced following the now-infamous Bafana Bafana yellow card saga during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The 28-year-old found himself at the centre of a national crisis that nearly cost South Africa its place in the quadrennial global showpiece. The drama began when Mokoena, who was actually suspended after accumulating two yellow cards, featured in the critical World Cup qualifier against Lesotho in March.

This glaring administrative blunder—a failure by the player, Bafana team manager Vincent Tseka, and the South African Football Association (SAFA) to track the suspension—resulted in swift and harsh action from world governing body, FIFA. South Africa was subsequently docked three points, a sanction that plummeted Hugo Broos’s side down to second place in Group C, putting their qualification hopes in serious jeopardy.

The team’s World Cup fate then hinged on a dramatic final day of qualifiers. Bafana managed to secure a crucial 3-0 victory against Rwanda, but ultimately needed a favour from Nigeria to ensure they reclaimed the top spot and secured their ticket.

Teboho Mokoena: The Scapegoat And Family Fallout

Mokoena revealed how the administrative chaos turned him into a national scapegoat, describing the malicious toll the ordeal took on his family.

“I’m very happy [to qualify for the World Cup]. It was an emotional day [Tuesday], I could feel it [that Bafana would beat Rwanda],” Mokoena shared during a chat with artist Arthur Mafokate.

“I think we must give credit to the coach [Hugo Broos]. He has been so calm the whole week… And honestly, it has been the toughest six months of my career.”

The highly-rated midfielder described the brutal impact of the fallout, noting that he was forced to endure it in silence.

“The backlash I received and my family was very hard. Yes, because of the yellow cards [people were blaming me], and I couldn’t speak about it. I was going through a lot, I was not okay, but I’m happy now,” he admitted.

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