Orlando Pirates' promising young winger has made a significant impact on the South African football scene this year. At just 20 years old, Relebohile Mofokeng, previously known as Ratomo, is demonstrating a level of maturity on the field that surpasses that of many of his peers.
CLUB LIFE
Mofokeng began his football career at the Transnet School of Excellence, where he exhibited considerable potential, attracting the attention of local fans and football photographers, including Vino, known as Vino Snaps on social media. His talent caught the eye of scouts from Orlando Pirates, one of South Africa's premier football clubs, leading to his eventual transfer. After being promoted to the top tier of South African football, he scored his first goal against Amazulu in May of the previous year, at the age of 18. Since that moment, he has emerged as a player to watch. His coach, Riveiro Jose, had nothing but praises for the young star. "He has ambition and he will be cherished by Orlando Pirates. He must not limit himself,' Jose told Hollywood Sports Blog.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Mofokeng received his inaugural call-up to the senior Bafana Bafana squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers held in June 2024, competing against Nigeria and Zimbabwe. He made his debut on June 11, 2024. His unforgettable last-minute goal in the Nedbank Cup final against Mamelodi Sundowns FC will be remembered by both him and the Orlando Pirates fans, as he skilfully manoeuvred past Bongani Zungu and scored against one of Africa's top goalkeepers, Ronwan Williams, securing the cup for the second consecutive year. His accolades include the South African Premiership Young Player of the Season 2024, Rising Player of the Tournament 2024 for Nedbank, and the recent GQ Sports Person of the Year award. "Modimo ha dumetse o dumetse, haele nako ya hao ke nako ya hao. (When God agrees, he agrees, because your time is your time)' Mofokeng said to Vino Snaps after his impressive performance in the MTN match against Stellenbosch FC, where he contributed a goal and an assist. With speculation surrounding a potential move to FC Barcelona in Spain, Mofokeng is undoubtedly a rising star who is unafraid to embrace the spotlight.
