Zwane Backs Mofokeng For Footballer Of the Season Ahead Of Costa

AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane believes Orlando Pirates’ sensational attacker, Relebohile Mofokeng, deserved to win the PSL Footballer of the Season award.

However, Zwane acknowledged that it might not be possible due to Lucas Ribeiro Costa’s equally sensational performance and his role in Mamelodi Sundowns’ league title victory.

Zwane highlighted that Mofokeng, despite his young age and playing for a major club like Pirates, has shouldered significant responsibility for the team, remarkably achieving this without having previously played for junior national teams.

Mofokeng is expected to contend for the PSL Footballer of the Season award with Costa, who has all but claimed the PSL top goalscorer title for Sundowns with 16 league goals to his name.

Another player who could be in contention is Iqraam Rayners, who scored 14 league goals this season, significantly contributing to his team’s league title success.

In all competitions, Costa has featured in 47 matches, scoring 20 goals, including one in the 1-1 draw against Pyramids in the CAF Champions League first-leg final on Saturday, along with 13 assists. Mofokeng has also played 47 matches for Pirates, scoring 12 goals and providing 14 assists.

While Mofokeng’s goal tally may not match Costa’s, other metrics favor him as a standout player for Pirates, especially considering the club finished second in the league, won the MTN8, and reached the Champions League semi-final.

“I don’t want to sound controversial, but I think when you look at Rele [Mofokeng], he carried Orlando Pirates throughout this season,” said Zwane after Usuthu’s 1-1 draw with Pirates at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

“You look at Ribeiro. Obviously, Sundowns won the league, so to be quite honest, he deserves it. But Rele, as a youngster, doing what he has done this season, carrying a team, a giant on his shoulders, I think it was something else. It was amazing.

“And his peers are seeing him performing at this level, and now we are talking about a player that will definitely go to the FIFA World Cup [if Bafana Bafana qualify]. I don’t want to say ‘I’m picking him,’ I’m not a national team coach.”

Zwane continued, “But looking at how coach Hugo Broos does things and also how he integrates [younger players] into the senior national team, and obviously for him it is a big jump, because he never played for the U/20s and U/23s like his peers. But he’s an exceptional talent. So, there is no doubt that he is going to make the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations [later this year] and the World Cup.”

He also extended credit: “Also, credit to be given to his coaches, all the coaches from the School of Excellence, coaches at Pirates like Dukuduku Makhanya [Pirates DDC coach], who spotted the talent and made life easy for the first team as well for these players to be promoted and coach Jose Riveiro for believing in them, giving them opportunity.”

Zwane concluded, “You look at the equalizing goal from Pirates [scored by Simphiwe Selepe on Saturday]. So, it tells you that South African football is going far in that regard. But, Ribeiro, there is no doubt [that he will win the Footballer of the Season because of winning the league].”

The PSL Footballer of the Season is voted for by the 15 Premier Division head coaches (not 16 this season, as Royal AM was expelled). Only one head coach per club is allowed to vote, and coaches are not permitted to nominate or vote for their own players.