Coach Pitso Mosimane was characteristically candid upon receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Johannesburg on Wednesday, declaring, “You don’t apply for this.”

The most successful coach in South African football history, with three CAF Champions League titles to his name, was conferred the doctorate in front of a distinguished audience including SAFA president Dr Danny Jordaan, PSL chairman Dr Irvin Khoza, and football luminaries from across Africa.

Mosimane’s achievement was particularly notable given his earlier skepticism about the CAF Pro License, which he shared with fellow African coaches Aliou Cisse, Florent Ibenge and Hassan Shehata. Together, they were among the first to undertake the UEFA-aligned course, highlighting the disparity between the two continental bodies’ coaching qualifications.

Reflecting on the honor, Mosimane expressed humility, attributing his success to perseverance and dedication. He emphasized that doctorates are not earned through application or lobbying, but rather bestowed in recognition of significant contributions to a field. “It’s humbling,” said Mosimane of being honoured following sacrificed he has made in the past as a player and as a coach. 

Doctorate is awarded to someone who has contributed immensely and showed resilience no matter his or her background in his trade on and off.  

“Look, it means so much to me to be given a title like this. You ask yourself that, I never thought this could be happening to me,” added Mosimane.  

“And you don’t apply, you don’t lobby – you are called. It’s like the CAF Pro license, we did not apply, you are called to come and do Pro licenses. They choose the coaches. So, you get humbled and it’s a feeling that, at home, my wife got two degrees, my daughter’s got two degrees, my son is about to finish.” 

In a lighthearted moment, Mosimane joked about being the least educated member of his family, a fact often teased by his wife and children. He playfully challenged anyone to replicate his achievements. “They (my family) are always saying to me, ‘Hey, you are the only one without a degree here’” Mosimane said.  

“I can say to them jokingly, ‘Look at me now, can someone produce the same that I have?’ Okay,” he said with his classic smile.  

“I have been honoured, it’s an honorary one, but you don’t get it by just walking past, you get it by what you have contributed – not only to the country, but to the continent.”   

The honorary doctorate awarded to Mosimane follows similar honors bestowed upon Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus and Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis in recent months.