Could 19-year-old Mbekezeli Mbokazi be the next captain to lead Orlando Pirates?

At just 19, Mbekezeli Mbokazi is emerging as a shock candidate to captain Orlando Pirates – a sign of just how quickly the rising star has made his mark.

Since making his senior debut last season, the defender’s commanding performances in the famous black and white jersey have sparked growing calls for him to inherit the armband from the recently retired Innocent Maela.

Now, after only a few senior appearances, Mbokazi is being mentioned among the contenders to replace Maela as club captain. Handing him the armband now could be seen as a big statement about his leadership qualities at such a young age.

In a recent podcast, Mbokazi had the backing of former Pirates star Gerald Modabi, who felt he was ready for the extra responsibility.

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“The coach said, even if you are 16 years old and you are good enough to play, he will play you. So, Mbekezeli is good enough to be captain,” Modabi said on the Total Football Podcast.

“He loves the football club, judging by his performances. I’ve worked with him, and he also loves his food. He wants to eat even five minutes before the start of training, which is crazy for me.”

Even at such a young age, Mbokazi brings a sense of maturity to his game. This was something that was noted by Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos, who gave him his international debut last month.

“I think what I saw from Mbokazi was, for me, his game is very mature, he makes good decisions, and he’s a good defender,” the Bafana coach said last month.

He has also been praised for his ability to read the game, his physical presence, composure under pressure, and most importantly, his leadership. In his first season in the senior team, his performances defied his age and he walked away with a number of man-of-the-match awards.

Mbokazi’s rapid rise reminds one of Mbulelo “Oldjohn” Mabizela, who was discovered playing amateur football in KwaZulu-Natal. After being signed by Pirates at 20 years old, Mabizela became a regular fixture in the first team, and in his second season with the club, he was appointed captain.

At just 21 years old, he led the club to a league title, and convinced then-national team coach Stuart Baxter to also hand him the armband. Unfortunately, Mabizela’s career was later marked by off-field disciplinary issues.

Mbokazi has all the talent in the world, and the attributes needed to lead a big club, but the club needs to learn from past lessons when it comes to handing such a young player the responsibility of leading one of the biggest clubs in the country. Whatever decision Abdeslam Ouaddou takes will be the right one, as he will have thoroughly weighed up all the pros and cons.

What’s clear, though, is that Mbekezeli Mbokazi has already captured the imagination of the Orlando Pirates faithful. Whether or not the captain’s armband is placed on his sleeve just yet, he represents the club’s future.

His story is still being written, but the early chapters already read like the beginning of something special. If nurtured correctly, Mbokazi could not only lead Pirates into a new era, but become a symbol of what it means to wear the badge with pride, hunger, and heart.

IOL Sport

* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.

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