Lazola Maku: The relentless rise of a Bafana Bafana prospect

When a 14-year-old kid stepped onto the pitch to make his ABC Motsepe League Western Cape full debut for Ubuntu Football Academy against FC Battalions in Ocean View back in 2021, the script was already written: Lazola Maku was destined for football royalty.

While the central midfielder has yet to fully reach the dizzying heights promised during his formative years, the coach who handed him that landmark senior break at Ubuntu Football Academy, Moritz Kossmann, remembers a prodigy forged in a different mould.

“He was probably always the top player in his age group from the very youngest age,” Kossmann told FARPost, adding that he has been alerted that “there was a special prospect coming through, not just in terms of footballing ability, but also in terms of his mentality and his maturity for his age, his coachability.”

Maku’s journey began when Dave Waters and Yannick Sop scouted him to the Cape Town-based Ubuntu Academy as a bright-eyed 10-year-old. Outgrowing his age group with relentless consistency, he was fast-tracked into the Under-16 setup at 13, before fearlessly diving into the rugged terrain of senior football a year later.

“He played a very solid game at that level,” Kossman recalls. “I think for me, it was always clear that we have a special prospect on our hands there because, yeah, he’s just so strong in the head. 

“He is a very clever boy, also, very intelligent, very self-motivated, still exceptionally coachable, which also goes hand-in-hand with him being a very humble guy.”

MAKU’S GREATNESS THAT WAS ALWAYS INEVITABLE

That early promise translated directly into a rapid rise. Fast forward to October 20, 2026, and Maku’s career took another monumental step when he signed for South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns as a free agent.

For Kossmann, watching the midfield genius land at Chloorkop is simply the natural progression of a trajectory mapped out years ago. Now 19, Maku boasts an enviable resume: captain of Amajita, a South Africa Under-23 member, an Under-20 AFCON champion, and a commendable performer at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, where he etched his name on the scoresheet against New Caledonia.

“I had always thought we had a special prospect on our hands,” Kossmann declared. 

“It didn’t surprise me that he went on to captain South Africa in all the age groups. Didn’t surprise me that he was playing at AFCON Under-20 even though he was two years younger, and started in midfield. It didn’t surprise me at all, to be honest.”

Yet, for all his rapid progression, the footballing world can be an unyielding arena with an immense burden of expectations.

WHAT REALLY HAMPERED MAKU’S AUSTRIAN DREAM?

After progressing from Ubuntu to the SuperSport United reserve ranks, the teenager made his Betway Premiership debut for Siwelele FC against Golden Arrows FC in April 2026. A strong finish to the campaign, earning five senior appearances, handed him a golden ticket: a two-month trial stint in Europe during the 2026 summer.

Maku packed his bags for Austria, undergoing trials with Bundesliga outfits Rapid Vienna and SV Ried, where Kossmann currently serves as assistant coach, alongside second-tier side FC Wacker Innsbruck. However, after a deal failed to materialise, sceptics began to question if the young midfielder was truly ready for the elite stage.

Kossmann, however, sets the record straight, attributing the derailment to cruel footballing timing rather than a lack of quality.

“What I have learned now through the years in football is that sometimes the quality is one part, and it’s obviously a prerequisite, but the other part is the timing. And I think what killed things in Austria a little bit is the timing,” explains Kossmann, a former Cape Town City FC DStv Diski Challenge [DDC] coach.

“At SV Ried, everyone liked him very much, and wanted to sign him, but the club was in a very big transitional period in the summer. 

FOOTBALL TIMING: KOSSMANN SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON DERAILMENT

“And then, obviously, he had the chance to go to Rapid. Rapid is a huge club. I think everyone there wanted to sign him, but then the timing aspect killed him, as Rapid obviously failed to qualify for the [UEFA] Conference League.

“So in that moment when he was there, they weren’t really able to sign more players. In fact, they had to sell some players because they were now not in the position to keep their squad together as it was. And so, yeah, as I said, I think Rapid not making Europe probably killed that move for him.”

Despite the Austrian setback, Kossmann remains convinced that Maku’s European adventure is postponed, not cancelled.

“But yes, of course, I do believe that he has the ability to play in Europe. I sincerely hope that in the future we will see him make the step to Europe because really at the end of the day, as much as Sundowns is a massive club and is doing amazing things for South African football, I think we need to see our best players move to Europe,” added Kossmann.

PHYSICALITY: MAKU’S MISSING PUZZLE PIECE

Reflecting on Maku’s development, Kossmann notes that former clubs SuperSport United and Siwelele FC could have done more to prepare the midfield maestro for the brutal physical demands of top-tier football.

“When it comes to the training, I think obviously he’s not the biggest physical guy, and he still does need to develop that side of his game, the physicality,” Kossmann admits. 

“Maybe, I don’t know how you frame this, but yeah, I must say in terms of his physical development, they [SuperSport and Siwelele] could have perhaps done more to help him build his body, I would suggest.

“But look, he’s someone that when he sees that he has to improve somewhere, he will do it. And so, I think that in the end we’ve got, yeah, the top midfielder there. I think he will rise to the challenge at Sundowns, and I think within some years from now we will see him play for South Africa [Bafana Bafana], and also not just once or twice, but very regularly.”

MAKU’S REMARKABLE REVOLUTION

Kossmann has witnessed Maku’s steady rise over the years, a growth trajectory that shone brightly on the international stage where the youngster displayed his refined skill set. There are some improvements that Kossmann has noted in Maku’s game over the years, and he has shown that on the global stage.

“As I said before, he was someone who was so able to take coaching on board. For example, when he was like young, he had a topic of shooting,” Kossmann explains.

“Like, he wasn’t really able to shoot very well at goal, and we mentioned it to him as something he should maybe look to improve. I remember, like, after five, six months, he was literally the guy with the best shot in the team.

“I remember him scoring, I think, a cracking goal from outside the box for South Africa Under-20 at the World Cup against New Caledonia. And I just remembered how he developed that side of his game.”

ANOTHER TEBOHO MOKOENA IN THE MAKING

African Stars FC centre-back Lyema Dopolo, who played alongside Maku at SuperSport, has made a bold prediction about his former teammate. With Sundowns defensive midfielder Teboho Mokoena nearly 30, Dopolo sees an heir apparent in Maku, some praise that gives assurance to both Masandawana and Bafana Bafana.

“I really wish Lazola would get an opportunity to play in the Betway Premiership so that people can see for themselves what we witnessed every day at training,” Dopolo told FARPost. “He’s a hard worker, intelligent and knows how to read the game. He has a never-say-die attitude and a great football IQ. His understanding of the game is beyond his years. When he played in front of me at SuperSport, I was at my happiest.

“He always wanted the ball. Even when we were building from the back, he would make himself available because he wanted us to play out from the back. He was always comfortable in possession. The moment I saw him, I knew he was destined for greatness. I believed he had what it takes to achieve great things. What made him special was how he simplified the game.”

Dopolo goes on to explain the work ethic he witnessed in his former teammate.

“Even when he was busy with exams and couldn’t attend training, Lazola would jog around the estate to keep himself fit. You could tell he knew what he wanted and was determined to achieve it,” the 22-year-old went on.

“During our spare time, he would be on the five-a-side pitch, working on different drills and improving his game. He was always putting in the extra work. He was one of the most consistent players in our team. You could always count on him to give you an eight, nine or even ten out of ten performance.

“I remember a game against TS Galaxy when he took a shot from outside the box. Coach Roscoe [Krieling] always encouraged him to shoot from distance because it was something he did regularly in training. If he keeps practising and improving that aspect of his game, I believe he could become a player like Teboho Mokoena.”

THE BATTLE FOR MIDFIELD SUPREMACY AT MAMELODI SUNDOWNS

While Siwelele let Maku slip through their fingers, Sundowns have begun integrating him through their DDC ranks as he pushes for a first-team breakthrough.

The road ahead appears far from easy. Chloorkop boasts a stellar midfield roster including Mokoena, Bathusi Aubaas, Marcelo Allende, Thabo Cele, and fellow rising talent Gomolemo Kekana. Yet, Kossmann remains confident that Maku will carve out his niche in the Brazilians’ stacked midfield.

“Regarding the competition in the Mamelodi Sundowns midfield, I think that, given time, given the opportunity, and, like, he’s obviously still a young player, 19 years this year, he’s going to make his way in there,” Kossmann analyses Maku’s chances of cementing a regular spot at Masandawana.

“It might not be today or tomorrow, but it will definitely happen, and yeah, he’s just someone who has this amazing ability to rise to a challenge. I think he’s a very driven person, and so, I see it happening for sure in the long term.”

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