Teboho Mokoena reveals where he’ll chase European dream post-Sundowns extension
Despite signing a new five-year deal with Mamelodi Sundowns, dynamic Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena hasn’t given up on his ambition to play in Europe.
Since joining Sundowns from SuperSport United in 2022, ‘Tebza’ has been a consistent performer, making 93 appearances and contributing nine goals and seven assists. He has also played a crucial role in helping the team secure five titles, including three league trophies, one Nedbank Cup, and the inaugural African Football League [AFL].
The Bafana ace has set his sights on the FIFA Club World Cup as the platform to showcase his talents and potentially secure a move to Europe.
“The dream [to play in Europe] is still very much alive; we still have [FIFA] Club World Cup. So yeah, we will see what happens,” said Mokoena.
Sundowns will represent Africa as one of four teams from the continent participating in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, held in the USA.
The extension is a testament to Mokoena’s importance to the Brazilians and their faith in his continued development. However, the talented midfielder believes his Club World Cup performances could still attract the attention of European clubs, potentially bringing him closer to fulfilling his dream.
“I’m happy to be at the club; the reason I signed the contract is because I know the project of the club, and I wanted to be part of the project. So it was an easy decision for me to stay here because we still have the Club World Cup, we still have CAF [Champions League], and we still have AFL. We still have Bafana.”
FORMER COACH CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBILITY OF EUROPE MOVE FOR TEBOHO MOKOENA
Meanwhile, Mokoena’s contract extension with Mamelodi Sundowns sparked concerns about the potential impact on his development as a player. Pitso Mokoena, who played a crucial role in Mokoena’s early career, believes a move abroad would have been more beneficial for both the player and the national team.
“What can we say? It’s all about money; it’s all about the future,” Pitso Mokoena told FARPost. “I was expecting that the boy was going to leave Sundowns, but not in a bad way. This was going to help our national team as well. Then, he decided to stay at Sundowns after he was offered a new deal.”
The coach expressed his worry about the timing of Mokoena’s potential departure, given his age and the length of his new contract. “I’m worried now as to when he will leave, considering his age. He’s around 27, and they have given him a five-year contract; it will expire when he’s 32.”
He further added: “I don’t see him going overseas now unless there is a team that can come and buy him out of his contract, which I think is very impossible.”
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