Teboho Mokoena
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-01-24) 24 January 1997 (age 27)[1]
Place of birth Bethlehem, South Africa[2]
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[3]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Mamelodi Sundowns
Number 4
Youth career
SuperSport United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2022 SuperSport United 127 (15)
2022– Mamelodi Sundowns 42 (2)
International career‡
2017 South Africa U20 6 (0)
2018 South Africa U23 5 (2)
2017– South Africa 36 (6)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  South Africa
Africa Cup of Nations
Third place 2023 Ivory Coast
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 January 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 February 2024

Teboho Mokoena[1] (born 24 January 1997) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Premier Soccer League side Mamelodi Sundowns and the South Africa national team. He joined Mamelodi Sundowns on 27 January 2022 during the January transfer window.[4]

Club career

During his schooling, Mokoena was discovered by Charles Molefe, a teacher doubling up as a soccer coach at Bodikela Junior Secondary School. His performances at school level earned him a sport at the Harmony Sports Academy from where he was picked up by SuperSport United.[5] At SuperSport United, he progressed through the academy and later captained the club at U-19 level.[6] He was promoted to the first-team in 2016 by Stuart Baxter and made his professional debut in February the following year, coming on as a late substitute for Cole Alexander in a 5–2 league win over Golden Arrows.[7][8][9] In March 2017, after having become a regular feature in SuperSport United's midfield alongside Dean Furman and Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Mokoena was at the centre of a club-versus-country row when Baxter refused to release him for international duty for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup due his commitment to the club's impending Nedbank Cup semi-final match. A compromise was ultimately reached between the two parties, which resulted in Mokoena being specially flown up to join his international teammates after SuperSport United confirmed their progression in the tournament.[8][10] He returned in time for the final but was an unused substitute as the club beat Orlando Pirates 4–1 to claim the title.[11] Before the final, he had also scored his first professional goal in a 2–2 CAF Confederations Cup draw with TP Mazembe.[12]

The following season, Mokoena continued to feature regularly for SuperSport United. He managed two goals and two assists for the season, and, despite the club finishing a disappointing eighth in the league, he was nominated for the PSL Young Player of the Season award.[13] On 13 March 2019, he was awarded the league's Goal of the Month award for January following his strike against Bloemfontein Celtic.[14]

International career

In July 2017, Mokoena received his first call-up to the senior national team by former SuperSport United manager Stuart Baxter, who had departed the club at the end of the 2016–17 domestic season, for the nation's 2018 African Nations Championship qualifiers. He made his debut on 15 July against Botswana and was praised following the match for his ability to "carry the team on his shoulders".[15] The following year, he scored his first international goal in South Africa's 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification win over Seychelles.[16] His goal also contributed towards the nation recording its largest ever victory with the match ending 6–0 in favour of South Africa.[17]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 30 January 2024[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup1 League Cup2 Continental3 Other4 Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
SuperSport United 2016–17 PSL 10 0 3 0 0 0 11 1 0 0 24 1
2017–18 25 2 1 0 1 0 4 0 3 0 34 2
2018–19 28 3 1 0 2 0 0 0 3 0 34 3
2019–20 29 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 4 1 36 3
2020–21 22 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 25 4
2021–22 13 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 14 4
Total 127 15 6 0 5 0 15 1 14 1 167 17
Mamelodi Sundowns 2021–22 PSL 8 1 2 0 0 0 7 1 0 0 17 2
2022–23 24 1 1 0 0 0 10 1 0 0 35 2
2023–24 10 0 0 0 0 0 5 2 5 0 20 2
Total 42 2 3 0 0 0 22 4 5 0 72 6
Career total 169 17 9 0 5 0 37 5 19 1 239 23

1 Includes Nedbank Cup matches.
2 Includes Telkom Knockout matches.
3 Includes CAF Confederations Cup matches.
4 Includes MTN 8 matches.

International

As of 11 February 2024[3]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
South Africa 2017 1 0
2018 3 1
2019 3 0
2020 2 0
2021 6 2
2022 6 1
2023 7 0
2024 8 2
Total 36 6


Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mokoena goal.
List of international goals scored by Teboho Mokoena
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 13 October 2018 FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa  Seychelles 6–0 6–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification [18]
2 9 October 2021 Bahir Dar Stadium, Amhara Region, Ethiopia  Ethiopia 1–0 3–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 11 November 2021 FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa  Zimbabwe 1–0 1–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
4 27 September 2022 FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa  Botswana 1–0 1–0 Friendly
5 30 January 2024 Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro, Ivory Coast  Morocco 2–0 2–0 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
6 7 February 2024 Stade de la Paix, Bouaké, Ivory Coast  Nigeria 1–1 1–1 (a.e.t.) 2023 Africa Cup of Nations

Honours

SuperSport United

Mamelodi Sundowns

South Africa

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c Teboho Mokoena at Soccerway. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Teboho Mokoena keen to cap off memorable SuperSport United season with Nedbank Cup victory". Kick Off. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Teboho Mokoena". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  4. ^ "OFFICIAL: Mamelodi Sundowns complete Teboho Mokoena signing!". The South African. 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  5. ^ Molefe, Mazola (24 June 2017). "My mom is extremely proud, says SuperSport's Teboho Mokoena". Independent Online. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  6. ^ "High drama in Metropolitan Cup". News 24. 29 March 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  7. ^ "SuperSport United promote Teboho Mokoena". Kick Off. 30 August 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  8. ^ a b Crann, Joe (22 May 2017). "SuperSport Starlet On His Way To World Cup". Soccer Laduma. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  9. ^ Motswhane, Gomolemo (18 March 2018). "Bafana star Teboho Mokoena still respects the curfew". Sowetan Live. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  10. ^ Madlala, Robin-Duke (8 May 2017). "Stuart Baxter impressed with Teboho Mokoena for taking his chances in SuperSport United first-team". Kick Off. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  11. ^ "Match report - Nedbank Cup: SuperSport United vs Orlando Pirates". Kick Off. 24 June 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  12. ^ "SuperSport Comeback To Snatch A Point At Champions Mazembe". Soccer Laduma. 4 June 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  13. ^ De Dominicis, Fabio (25 May 2018). "Analysing PSL Young Player of the Season nominees Sibusiso Mabaliso, Teboho Mokoena and Siphesihle Ndlovu". Kick Off. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  14. ^ "Mokoena wins Absa Prem goal of the month for January". SuperSport. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  15. ^ Kwenaite, Thomas (21 July 2017). "Mokoena easily carries Bafana". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  16. ^ "SuperSport United coach Kaitano Tembo is hoping Teboho Mokoena can feature more for Bafana Bafana". Kick Off. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  17. ^ Molefe, Mazola (13 October 2018). "Bafana Bafana rock Seychelles in record victory". Independent Online. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  18. ^ Variava, Yusuf (13 October 2018). "South Africa 6-0 Seychelles: Formidable Bafana Bafana thrash the islanders in Johannesburg". Goal. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Match Centre: MTN 8 Highlands Park vs SuperSport United". 5 October 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  20. ^ Edwards, Piers (10 February 2024). "South Africa 0–0 DR Congo". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 12 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  21. ^ "CAF TSG Group releases TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nation Cote d'Ivoire 2023 Best XI". CAF Online. Confederation of African Football. 14 February 2024. Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
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