Exclusive: Mbekezeli Mbokazi Must Be Protected After Guiding Orlando Pirates to MTN8 Glory, says Former Captain

Former Orlando Pirates captain Benson Mhlongo lauds youngster Mbekezeli Mbokazi for his impressive football IQ and urges the country to support and protect his talent.

Record Fourth MTN8 Final Title

Orlando Pirates won their record fourth consecutive MTN8 at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday, beating Stellenbosch FC 3-0 in the extra time to seal the victory.

Pirates completed a dominant victory over the Western Cape-based Stellies, as they recorded 21 shots at goal, almost twice as many as Stellenbosch in the contest.

However, the Soweto Giants just struggled to convert in the opening 90 minutes of the contest, a feat that former captain Benson Mhlongo believes boils down to a flawed approach during that period.

Mhlongo, in an exclusive interview with SportsBoom.co.za, emphasised that the Buccaneers strayed away from the Pirates' style of football in the opening 90 minutes and only reverted to it during the extra time.

“They dominated, yes, but I was a little bit disappointed in the first 90 minutes, where the team now played differently from their previous games. A lot of wing play was used in the first 90 minutes,” Mhlongo told SportsBoom.co.za in an exclusive interview.

“Then, when they started to play their own game, in extra time, they put the ball down, and they started to involve players who are influential on the ball."

“So, the goals were typically the Pirates' way, where they penetrated the opposition defence, they made runs in between, and the ball was played on the ground. That's what they did right."

“The positive side is that we had players who came from the national team. Everyone thought fatigue was going to be the downside, but they showed experience, they controlled the game, and they never gave Stellenbosch any scoring opportunities in the first 90 minutes."

“And bravo to the technical team, going to extra time, putting in fresh legs and attacking players, and it paid off.”

Protect Mbekezeli Mbokazi

During the final, and in the absence of permanent captain Nkosinathi Sibisi, the 19-year-old Mbekezeli Mbokazi stepped up and put on the captain’s armband.

The defender led with distinction and put his talent on full display in the packed Mbombela Stadium on Saturday. 

This follows the 19-year-old stellar man of the match performance during Bafana Bafana’s 1-1 draw against Nigeria during the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.

Mbokazi showed no signs of fatigue and took Orlando Pirates on his back and won the tournament for the club.

Mhlongo, having captained Pirates during his illustrious playing career, was genuinely impressed with the youngster as he praised his football IQ.

However, Mhlongo raised concerns about the youngster’s often over-the-top celebrations.

“When it comes to play, he's solid, precise, and consistent. When we say consistent, it means on one-on-one duels, he always wins them; his decision-making on the ball, and his attacking ability as a defender are impressive,” said Mhlongo.

“What he did against Nigeria, we saw it before during the Sundowns game, where the pass he made to (Mike Kamogelo) Sebelebele to score and eventually get them to the final. Then, the idea behind the attempt for goals, then you can see he's not a fluke, he's got a good football IQ. 

“When it comes to captaincy, because of the performance, either the armband will give you confidence to go out there without fear, or it will overwhelm you. So far, with the armband, he's been doing well."

“It means it gives him an extra edge, or it gives him more confidence, which is good for him. He reminds me of old John. I don't see anything wrong."

"What I'm concerned about are the celebrations I've seen. But again, we come back and say he's still young."

"Yes, you’re the captain, but he should think about the next game. While everyone is celebrating, you should be looking at your teammates, observing them, what this win means to them, and try to find and connect with them."

"But as a youngster, you learn along the way.  Maybe that's why, when they saw that the game, they brought it up, they put in the captain (Sibisi), maybe for that reason."

“The young boy must not look at the captaincy yet. Let him wait. Let him grow. Maybe the coach was protecting him with that substitution. We can only wish him the best."

“As one of our own, we should be happy that there's a new generation coming. As a country, we should be able to be proud and protect these boys and support them," he concluded.