TS Galaxy coach Adnan Beganovic has outlined how Orlando Pirates defender Lebone Seema has surpassed his expectations, as he backs the player to break into the Bafana Bafana set-up.
The Bosnian worked with Seema at the Rockets before the centre-back joined the Buccaneers ahead of the 2025/26 season. Arriving at Pirates who already boasted a solid central defence, Seema immediately turned himself into a regular.
He partnered Mbekezeli Mbokazi for the better part of the first half of the season and he has now established a promising combination with Nkosinathi Sibisi.
To highlight his value at Pirates, the 22-year-old relegated Sibisi to the bench in the opening part of the term, while Tapelo Xoki and Olisa Ndah also struggled for game time. That led to Ndah leaving the Soweto giants to seek playing opportunities elsewhere.
SEEMA A BRIGHT BAFANA PROSPECT SURPASSING EXPECTATIONS
With Bafana Bafana now focused on June’s 2026 FIFA World Cup, coach Hugo Broos‘ door is still open for top-performing players. That provides an opportunity for Seema to kickstart his international career by breaking into the national side.
But he has to convince Broos to be picked into a squad that already has other centre-backs like Mbokazi, Sibisi, Siyabonga Ngezana and Tylon Smith while Thabo Moloisane is also in the mix.
“If you ask me, did I expect Lebone to play for Orlando Pirates? Probably not. But I expected him to find a club in the PSL and play some games,” said Beganovic as he addressed the media at a Nedbank Cup press conference on Thursday.
“But now what he does, I can be so proud and happy because in the last two or three years, he never late for training, he never complained.
“He played wherever we asked him to play in different positions. If you live like that, if you respect life and everything around, you can also expect God to help and give you something special.
“He deserves what he has now and I’m so proud of him. I think soon he can also be a good player for Bafana Bafana.”
SEEMA’S EARLY DAYS AT TS GALAXY
Beganovic details how he played a central role in nurturing Seema from his DDC days into a first-team player.
“It’s good to talk about Lebone Seema, he is an amazing player with some amazing skills. I’m so happy and proud of him being at Orlando Pirates,” said Beganovic.
“He deserves everything. Since I arrived in South Africa in 2022 I met him and he is a young player who has amazing skills and the potential to be what he is now, actually. At that time, we had experienced players in his position, [Pogiso] Sanoka and Given Msimango.
“He couldn’t play and he would sit on the bench. Then the next year I was called to be the DDC head coach and at the same time I worked as an assistant coach for the first team and I took him to play for DDC.
“In the meantime, we tried so many times to play Lebone at right-back and central defence. There was something missing in him. He couldn’t get that crucial time to just switch from DDC to being a professional player.”
HOW SEEMA PUSHED FOR PIRATES TRANSFER FROM TS GALAXY
After becoming a TS Galaxy first-team player, Seema impressed and caught the attention of Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou who brought him to the Buccaneers as a little heralded defender.
“Then he just decided when we finished last season to leave the club. He hasked because he had a contract with us. He asked to go and we agreed,” the 42-year-old coach went on.
“I spoke with the chairman in a meeting and he said, ‘if he wants to go and find a club to play, it’s okay, let him go, support him.’ He said he didn’t want a situation where we keep the player and he doesn’t want to stay and wants to leave the club and he would try to find so many excuses not to train and play.
“A situation where a player does not feel he belongs to the club. So let him go and find success somewhere else.”
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