Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq have confirmed that Bafana Bafana winger Mohau Nkota has undergone surgery to repair his knee.
The 21-year-old suffered an injury during training on May 11, leaving him requiring to go under the knife. That saw him miss Al Ettifaq’s last three league matches.
The injury setback came after he had muscled his way back into the team as a regular starter following some inconsistent performances. Nkota will now miss out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Bafana Bafana will be taking part in North America.
It marks a difficult 2025/26 season for the wideman, who had arrived at Al Ettifaq with expectations high on him after top performances for Orlando Pirates the previous term. But he managed just two goals and three assists in 21 league games.
It was a season in which the left-footed star was sometimes deployed as a wing-back and appeared to struggle in that unfamiliar role.
AL ETTIFAQ’S UPDATE ON MOHAU NKOTA
“First-team soccer player, Mohau Nkota, underwent a successful knee surgery yesterday [Wednesday],” Al Ettifaq announced.
“The club family wishes the player a speedy recovery, complete wellness, and a quick return to the pitch to continue his journey with the team.”
The nature of the knee surgery has not been disclosed, and it is not yet clear when Nkota will return to begin training after recovering from the operation. He will be back with a new coach at Al Ettifaq after the club opted against continuing with Saad Al Shehri.
The 46-year-old had guided them to the Gulf Club Champions League after finishing seventh on the 18-team Saudi Pro League table. Nkota will be hoping to enjoy more regular starts under the new coach. Interestingly, Al Shehri is an admirer of Nkota’s Bafana teammate and Mamelodi Sundowns central midfielder Teboho Mokoena.
“As a player to make the right decision, attacking or defensive, you must have the perfect vision and to read around your surroundings,” Al-Shehri told the Saudi Pro League.
“There is a player from South Africa, and he is exceptional at scanning. He is number four. I have been watching him recently.”
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