Following the historic performance of the Bafana Bafana team at the World Cup, the future of South African football looks promising, and some players have attracted the attention of European clubs.
Bafana Bafana's performance in the tournament
The Bafana team was unexpectedly eliminated after Canada scored the winning goal in extra time of the match on Matchday 32 against South Africa. This match took place on June 28, 2026, at the Inglewood stadium in Los Angeles.
Although Bafana were not considered favorites, they exceeded expectations by finishing second in their group and qualifying automatically.
Praise for players from Delron Buckley
Former Bafana player Delron Buckley was particularly impressed by the performances of players such as Relebogile Mofokeng, who has already signed a contract with the Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. Buckley told SportsBoom.co.za that Mofokeng's move to Belgium is the right step for his development, noting that the player impressed at the World Cup, although, in Buckley's opinion, he should have been given more playing time.
Furthermore, Delron Buckley highly praised Mbekezeli Mbokazi. At only 20 years old, Mbokazi has established himself as a reliable defensive midfielder for Bafana. This strong central defender, who currently plays in Major League Soccer (MLS), looked completely confident against world-class players and is already considered a potential captain for Bafana.
Buckley gave Mbokazi perhaps the highest praise, stating: 'There was a lot of talk about Mbokazi, and for me, he was undoubtedly the best defender at the World Cup.'