Pitso Mosimane expressed surprise over the large number of Mamelodi Sundowns players in the Bafana Bafana squad

The head coach of Bafana Bafana, Piso Mosimane, defended his decision to include Tabanga Matuludi in the final squad, even though the defender recently played his first official match of the season.

The 27-year-old player was included in Mosimane's 30-man list for the upcoming international window, despite not having participated in official games before joining Mamelodi Sundowns. Matuludi debuted for Sundowns in the CAF Confederation Cup against Al Ahli on Saturday, where he played an important role in the 1-0 victory and provided an assist.

Nevertheless, Mosimane emphasized that his choice was not based solely on the player's last game. The national team coach stated that he had been monitoring the defender throughout the pre-season and was aware of his preparation, despite the lack of minutes in official matches.

Mosimane stated: 'We conducted research, I watched him, I know he trained all pre-season, he played in several friendly matches during the pre-season.' He also stressed that player selection is based on performance outside of competitive matches, and training results are also part of his assessment.

The coach added: 'We do not interfere in club affairs and respect the clubs, but a national team player is a national team player. It also shows players that if they train well and do everything right, we observe them. We knew what was happening, but we are not choosing Matuludi arrogantly just because we want to choose Matuludi.'

Furthermore, Mosimane revealed that his interest in Matuludi predates his return to the Bafana squad. He noted: 'I have been following Matuludi constantly, since I was given the opportunity to become the coach of Bafana and long before I signed the contract.'

Matuludi's inclusion may give Mosimane an additional option at right-back as he prepares Bafana for upcoming international fixtures, since the regular Khuliso Mudau will be absent for an extended period. South Africa will face Guinea in the 2027 Africa Cup qualifiers at Orlando Stadium on September 26, after which they will travel to Egypt to play Eritrea four days later. Then Bafana will play Egypt in a friendly match on October 4, giving Mosimane three games to assess the squad and implement his ideas.

Pitsso Mosimane has returned to lead the Bafana Bafana national team during an interesting period, as the number of South African footballers playing overseas grows, and many of them arrive at the camp in encouraging form.

The main figure is Relobokhile Mofokeng, who noted his challenge with the national team after scoring his first Europa League goal for Royal Union Saint-Gilloise on Thursday. The 21-year-old player demonstrated an impressive start to his European career after moving from Orlando Pirates, scoring four goals since his transfer to Belgium.

Mofokeng is also among the players Mosimane mentioned as part of the next generation he intends to develop; the coach has already highlighted his versatility and ability to influence the game from different positions.

Another player is Tapelo Maseko, who is settling into Denmark after moving from Mamelodi Sundowns to FC Copenhagen. Maseko scored twice in his first start for Copenhagen in the team's 5-0 victory over OB earlier this month, which was an early sign of what he can offer in a new environment.

This winger was one of Bafana's bright performers at the 2026 World Cup, scoring the winning goal against South Korea, and his move to Europe gives him another platform for development.

Puso Dithejane may have become one of the biggest beneficiaries of moving abroad. The Chicago Fire forward has been recognized for his strong form in Major League Soccer, including being named club player of the month in July and August. His performances led to his first call-up to the Bafana starting lineup under Mosimane and could provide the coach with another attacking option in the upcoming international window.

However, the overseas contingent is not limited to goalscorers. Olwetu Mahanya has established himself at Scottish giant Rangers after moving from Stellenbosch, while Shandre Campbell continues his European journey with Belgian club KV Kortrijk. Campbell moved to Kortrijk from Club Brugge after 11 appearances in the Belgian Pro League last season, and his involvement is another sign of the growing number of young South Africans testing themselves outside the country.

Meanwhile, Mahanya represents an important addition to defensive options after his move to Scotland. The Rangers defender is among several central defenders competing for spots under Mosimane, although the coach faces a different selection problem in defense compared to the abundance of attacking options available to him.

The overall picture is encouraging. South Africa's thirty-man squad for the upcoming international window includes nine players based abroad, including Mofokeng, Maseko, Dithejane, Mahanya, and Campbell. They are following a path that South African football increasingly desires for its young players—testing themselves against different opponents, adapting to various football cultures, and fighting for permanent places abroad.

For Mosimane, this creates competition. And if goals, minutes, and appearances continue, it could give Bafana a new dimension as the new coach begins to build his squad.

Mamelodi Sundowns has officially announced the signing of Tabanga Matuludi. His addition to Deano van Rooyen and Huliso Mudau in the Chloorkop expands the club's defensive options ahead of the intense season.

The signing of Matuludi was announced by the club on Tuesday. He is intended to replace injured right-back Huliso Mudau, who is a key player for the national team. Matuludi's arrival came just days after 'The Brazilians' signed free agent Deano van Rooyen.

The club had previously shown significant interest in Matuludi following his impressive performances for Polokwane City. Having three top right-backs in the country gives coach Miguel Cardoso great confidence in defending the Betway Premiership title and competing on all continental fronts.

National Team Dilemma

However, his colleagues in the national team face a completely different problem. Pitso Mosimane may face a difficult task in squad selection when all three players are fully fit. Since only one of them can play regularly at the club level, the other two will likely feature in reserve or on the bench.

This sharply contrasts with the period when Mudau and Matuludi were simultaneously regular players at Sundowns and Polokwane City, respectively. The arrival of two elite right-backs in the same transfer window also sparked discussions about Sundowns' player recruitment strategy after the active transfer period.

Commenting on the club's transfer policy, Cardoso emphasized that player recruitment goes beyond his direct responsibilities, noting that Sundowns has a specialized scouting team responsible for finding suitable talent. While Cardoso is pleased with Matuludi's arrival, Mosimane may view accumulating national-level players as much more critical.