Teboho Mokoena (footballer, born 1997)

Teboho Mokoena (born 24 January 1997) is a South African professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier Soccer League side SuperSport United, and the South Africa national team. He made his professional debut in 2016 and has since made over 100 appearances for SuperSport United.

Teboho Mokoena
Personal information
Full name Teboho Mokoena[1]
Date of birth (1997-01-24) 24 January 1997[1]
Place of birth Bethlehem, South Africa[2]
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 SuperSport United
Number 28
Youth career
SuperSport United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016– SuperSport United 74 (5)
National team‡
South Africa U20 6 (0)
2019– South Africa U23 2 (1)
2017– South Africa 7 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 07:13, 13 November 2019 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 07:13, 13 November 2019 (UTC)

Club career

SuperSport United

During his schooling, Mokoena was discovered by Charles Molefe, a teacher doubling up 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.[3] At SuperSport United, he progressed through the academy and later captained the club at U-19 level.[4] 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.[5][6][7] 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.[6][8] He returned in time for the final but was an unused substitute as the club beat Orlando Pirates 4–1 to claim the title.[9] Prior to the final, he had also scored his first professional goal in a 2–2 CAF Confederations Cup draw with TP Mazembe.[10]

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.[11] On 13 March 2019, he was awarded the league's Goal of the Month award for the month of January following his strike against Bloemfontein Celtic.[12]

International career

South Africa

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".[13] The following year, he scored his first international goal in South Africa's 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification win over Seychelles.[14] His goal also contributed towards the nation recording its largest ever victory with the match ending 6–0 in favour of South Africa.[15]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 8 November 2019[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup1 League Cup2 Continental3 Other4 Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
SuperSport United 2016–17 PSL 10030007100201
2017–18 PSL 25210100030302
2018–19 PSL 28310200030343
2019–20 PSL 11000200041171
Career total 7455050711011017

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

International
As of 7 June 2019[16]
National teamYearAppsGoals
South Africa 201710
201831
201930
Total71

Honours

Club
SuperSport United
gollark: I can join in, you say? Time to make CUBES!
gollark: And what do you plan to install inside for oxygen?
gollark: Are iron doors air-sealed?
gollark: If I join I'll just have to reshape mine into a flying brick with more airlocks.
gollark: Are the "claw" bits at the front good for anything but obscuring vision?

References
  1. "T.Mokoena". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  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. Molefe, Mazola (24 June 2017). "My mom is extremely proud, says SuperSport's Teboho Mokoena". Independent Online. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  4. "High drama in Metropolitan Cup". News 24. 29 March 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  5. "SuperSport United promote Teboho Mokoena". Kick Off. 30 August 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  6. Crann, Joe (22 May 2017). "SuperSport Starlet On His Way To World Cup". Soccer Laduma. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  7. Motswhane, Gomolemo (18 March 2018). "Bafana star Teboho Mokoena still respects the curfew". Sowetan Live. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  8. 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.
  9. "Match report - Nedbank Cup: SuperSport United vs Orlando Pirates". Kick Off. 24 June 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  10. "SuperSport Comeback To Snatch A Point At Champions Mazembe". Soccer Laduma. 4 June 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  11. 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.
  12. "Mokoena wins Absa Prem goal of the month for January". SuperSport. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  13. Kwenaite, Thomas (21 July 2017). "Mokoena easily carries Bafana". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  14. "SuperSport United coach Kaitano Tembo is hoping Teboho Mokoena can feature more for Bafana Bafana". Kick Off. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  15. Molefe, Mazola (13 October 2018). "Bafana Bafana rock Seychelles in record victory". Independent Online. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  16. "Mokoena, Teboho". National Football Teams. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  17. "Match Centre: MTN 8 Highlands Park vs SuperSport United". 5 October 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
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