Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena has revealed the personal pain behind his MTN8 final display. After scoring in Sundowns’ win over Orlando Pirates, he said he has lost his grandfather and that his brother remains in hospital after being stabbed.
A Goal Dedicated to Family
Speaking to SuperSport TV after the match, Mokoena said the past two weeks have been very hard. His grandfather died two weeks ago. His brother was stabbed multiple times the day before Bafana played Guinea, and Mokoena said he almost lost him. He dedicated the match to his brother, who is still recovering in hospital, and said he hopes justice will be served.
The 29-year-old said that although he is happy with the result, he is not okay on the inside. He explained that footballers still have to show up no matter how they are feeling, and he expressed hope that his brother recovers.
A Key Man for the Champions
The Bethlehem-born midfielder joined Sundowns from SuperSport United in January 2022. He has made 110 appearances, scoring 14 goals and providing nine assists in all competitions. As a deep-lying midfielder, he sets the tempo, wins the ball and links defence to attack.
- 2022/23: 27 league appearances, one goal, two assists.
- 2023/24: 18 league matches, three goals, three assists.
- 2024/25 and 2025/26: a regular starter, with five league goals and three assists combined.
His honours include three league titles (2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24), the 2022 Nedbank Cup and the inaugural African Football League in 2023. He was also named PSL Footballer of the Season for 2022/23.
Messages of Support
Fans have been invited to leave messages for Mokoena and his family in the comments.
