Polokwane City FC Head Coach Phuti Mohafe has made a bold assertion about defender Thabang Matuludi, hailing his quality after a string of satisfying displays since returning from a long-term injury setback.
Matuludi has been on the sidelines after suffering an injury blow on the 17th of January 2025 against SuperSport United in the Betway Premiership last season.
The 26-year-old defender made his comeback against Golden Arrows in a league match on 17 September at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. The Limpopo club went on to win the match 2-1.
So far, Matuludi has made four appearances for PLK City since his return from injury. In those four games, Rise and Shine managed to win three games and lost one.
As a result, PLK City are currently placed fourth on the Betway Premiership log standings with 15 points after nine games.
Following his decent performances, Matuludi was selected for the Bafana Bafana preliminary squad to face Zimbabwe and Rwanda in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He will be hoping to make the final squad, especially with Nyiko Mobbie and Thabiso Monyane injured at the moment.
WHAT PHUTI MOHAFE SAID ABOUT THABANG MATULUDI
Mohafe strongly asserted Matuludi’s elite status, claiming the defender ranks as high as the third, and potentially the second-best right-back in South African football. The coach underlined this claim by highlighting Matuludi’s critical importance to the Polokwane City FC squad.
“I’m not even surprised that he’s in the Bafana Bafana preliminary squad after a long injury. The boy is working hard, and he’s giving us another dimension that takes us to another level,” said Mohafe.
“So, he’s a good player. As I have said before, he’s number three in our league, if not number two [as a right-back].
“Matuludi is good aerially, he’s good in one-on-one situations, and he’s good offensively. So, what more do you want as a coach? I’m blessed to have a player of his calibre.”
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