R51 million gamble: Why Mbekezeli Mbokazi is built for the big stage of the MLS
According to recent reports, Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana starlet Mbekezeli Mbokazi is on the verge of completing a move to Major League Soccer in the United States.
Image: BackpagePix
Football fans around the world are about to gasp in disbelief at how good Orlando Pirates’ Mbekezeli Mbokazi is at such a young age.
Over the weekend, it was sensationally reported that Ezimnyama ngenkani ezikamagebhula had agreed to sell the 20-year-old to Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire for R51 million. It will be a huge deal that will allow him to acclimatise to American conditions ahead of next year’s World Cup.
This is also a huge deal for him because this time last year, very few people in South Africa had heard of him, which points to how rapid his rise has been. Since playing his first games as a teenager for Pirates, he’s gone on to cement his place, become the club’s vice-captain, and earn his stripes on the international stage.
Anyone who has seen him play would not be surprised he’s made such a big impact this early in his career. Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos have praised Mbokazi for his maturity and decision-making.
And, despite not being the tallest centre-back around, he wins his fair share of aerial duels and is confident when taking on opposition strikers. Then there is his leadership. At just 20, he’s been trusted to captain Pirates in regular skipper Nkosinathi Sibisi’s absence.
As Bafana captain Ronwen Williams recounted in a video that went viral on social media, Mbokazi is confident enough to give instructions to more experienced players in the national team. That blend of fearlessness and maturity will serve him well in his next chapter.
Major League Soccer is fast, physical, and transitional, but not as tactically complex as a number of top leagues in Europe. For a youngster still finding his feet in the game, that’s the perfect place to continue learning – although the move will still challenge him to adapt quickly to a new culture and playing style.
The high-paced action will teach him to make defensive decisions while continuously under pressure. The league will also allow him to further improve his maturity, physicality, leadership qualities and composure under pressure.
If Mbokazi adapts quickly – and there’s every indication he will – Chicago Fire could become the launchpad for a career that takes him far beyond MLS. What began as a surprise rise from obscurity in South Africa may soon turn into one of the country’s great football success stories.
And if he fulfils the potential so many seasoned observers see in him, this move will be remembered for marking the moment a future Bafana Bafana great truly began his ascent. Because for all the analysis and all the scouting reports, there’s something about Mbokazi that numbers alone can’t capture: an unshakeable belief in his own ability, and a fearlessness that sets the very best apart at a young age.
If he carries that spirit with him to Chicago, he’ll be a torchbearer for the next generation. And when the world gathers for the 2026 World Cup, don’t be surprised if the young defender who once slipped quietly into the Pirates first team steps onto the global stage ready to command it.
IOL Sport