The rise of Cassius Mailula has been nothing short of meteoric, and there are several things football followers didn’t know about the Mamelodi Sundowns marksman.
In his maiden season, Mailula has scored 14 goals and provided four assists in all competitions.
He has scored in the CAF Champions League, as well as the DStv Premiership.
Here are five things you didn’t know about Cassius Mailula.
1. His mother played a significant role in the start of his career
When he was 10, Mailula’s mother stopped by the Limpopo School of Excellence training grounds and humbly asked if she could bring her little boy.
Hendrick Mukwevho, a coach at the Polokwane-based academy, agreed to give the boy a chance in July 2022.
And days after his first session, he dubbed him ‘Young Diego Maradona’.
2. He cuts his teeth as a number 10
While his avalanche of goals for Sundowns this season established him as a marksman of note, Mailula was primarily an attacking midfielder in the youth ranks.
Even before his move to the Brazilians, his youth coach, Hendrick Mukwevho, who started working with him from age 10 to 15, says he often used him as a 10.
The player has also said why he preferred to play the 10 role, although he sometimes would play upfront.
“I decided to play as an attacking midfielder when I was 10,” he told the Sundowns website. He further revealed that he got inspired by the way Teko Modise played. “I also loved playing as a striker. [This is] simply because I loved scoring goals and hated seeing my team lose.”
3. The late Mandla Mazibuko scouted him for Sundowns
Mukwevho recalls the first-day Mazibuko spotted the boy. During a trial at the Polokwane Cricket Ground, Sundowns held trials circa 2015.
According to Mukwevho, after a few minutes of watching the bow-legged youngster, Mazibuko remarked: “I have already spotted a gem”.
Of course, Sundowns would continue following him, and at the Mandela Youth Challenge in Soweto, he sparkled. He was named Player of the Tournament and also won the Golden Boot.
The boy from Ga-Molepo joined the Sundowns academy in 2016.
“I joined Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016. When I was 15, I got scouted at a tournament in Soweto called the Nelson Mandela Youth Challenge. I won player of the tournament and was the top goal scorer,” he told the Sundowns website.
4. Two players he wanted to share the dressing room with
Before the 21-year-old’s promotion to the senior team, he clarified that he would be thrilled to share the dressing room with Themba Zwane. He indicated how much of an inspiration ‘Mshishi’ was to him. He singled out ‘Mshishi’s work ethic and consistency as the elements that attracted him to the Sundowns talisman.
When he got his first call-up to Bafana, he picked Percy Tau as another player he wanted to play with.
“I always wanted to play with Percy Tau in the same team, on the same pitch. Firstly it was Mshishi [Zwane], and I play with him at the same club; I just wanted to play with Percy Tau one day. I’m so happy it’s finally going to happen.”
5. He holds a Diploma in Sports Science
After finishing his matric while playing for the Sundowns academy, Mailula studied Sports Science.
“It was good that I finished my matric. I went to varsity in 2019, and by God’s grace, I also finished my Diploma in Sports Science. And from that time, I was able to focus on my football career,” he told Bafana media officer Romy Titus.
He still dreams of furthering his studies. “Hopefully, one day, I’ll be able to study something.”
For now, the Bafana Bafana forward would be looking to cement his place in Hugo Broos’ team. While at it, he will be praying he eventually breaks into Europe.
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