Veteran midfielder Lebohang ‘Cheeseboy’ Mokoena has revealed how his salary changed when he made the switch from Orlando Pirates to Mamelodi Sundowns.
Mokoena graduated from Pirates’ academy in the early 2000s and became a household name after making his debut as a 17-year-old in 2003.
At his peak in the Black and White jersey of Pirates, Mokoena captivated audiences with his dazzling skills and earned a reputation for being a disciplined, dedicated, and talented player.
Mokoena, who played his best football at Pirates under coaches such as Augusto Palacios and Kosta Papic, disclosed that his take home was R28,000 during his stay at the Soweto giants.
While acknowledging that his salary did improve when he left DStv Premiership giants Pirates to seal a shock move to Mamelodi Sundowns in 2009, Mokoena emphasised that financial considerations were not his primary focus during his time at Pirates.
LEBOHANG MOKOENA REVEALS MAMELODI SUNDOWNS SALARY
“At Pirates, as a development player, you wouldn’t earn as a player that was signed from another team. I earned R6500 when I was promoted to the first team,” Mokoena told TK Solutions TV.
“Comparing from Pirates to Sundowns, there was a big change from the salary I earned at Pirates. I think when I got to Sundowns, I left Pirates while earning around 28,000 to R30,000 after tax at the time.
“But when you play for a big team like Pirates people expect you to earn R50,000 to R100,000. Dr Irvin Khoza took good care of me when I was young. And honestly, money was not a priority at the time for me. I just loved football and wanted to play.
“I believed that I could only make good money by playing my football overseas as in South Africa I can only make that much, but if I wanted to earn well, I needed to leave the country. My dream was to play overseas. Then, there was a salary upgrade when I got to Sundowns. There were incentives like match bonuses and lucrative incentives.
“Things started changing when I got to Sundowns, not that I was not okay at Pirates. I was still comfortable at the club, but things got better at Sundowns.”
Mokoena is currently clubless following his unpleasant departure from Moroka Swallows in 2022. He earned a few caps for Bafana Bafana and featured for Ajax Cape Town.
RELATED STORY: Pirates receive major boost with return of two suspended stars
