Bafana Bafana legend explains why the national team doesn't need Mamelodi Sundowns star Ribeiro - 'Look at Mofokeng, Nkota & Maswanganyi, we do have talent in South Africa'

Lucas Ribeiro has been a standout performer for Mamelodi Sundowns since his arrival in June 2023.

The Brazilian forward has registered 22 goal contributions in 28 games this season, scoring 12 times.

Overall, he has played 65 games, scoring 28 goals and providing 19 assists.

His impressive form has sparked debate about whether he should be included in the Bafana Bafana squad.

However, former national team captain Aaron Mokoena believes that South Africa has enough local talent to rely on.

He insists that the focus should be on developing young players rather than naturalizing foreign-born footballers.

"Look, with due respect, he is a fantastic player and he is doing well for Sundowns, but how many Ribeiros do we have in South Africa?," Mokoena said as reported by Soccer Laduma.

"I can name a couple now. Look at what (Relebohile) Mofokeng is doing for Pirates. (Mohau) Nkota for instance. What an exceptional talent. There's (Patrick) Maswanganyi. We do have talent in South Africa.

"What I like about football is that everyone has a view, but for me to turn someone to be South African...I mean we do have a lot of talent. Yes, it would be good to have him, but let's invest in our own as well.

"We have young players who are coming through. Look at the under-20 team that has qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations. Look at the material we have in that team. It's always important to invest in our own," he concluded.

With South Africa’s U17 and U20 teams qualifying for Afcon, the country’s football development appears to be heading in the right direction.

Youngsters like Gabriel Amato, Asekho Tiwani, Mfundo Vilakazi, and Emile Witbooi are proving their worth at club level.

The discussion about Ribeiro representing Bafana Bafana seems unnecessary, given the emerging talent pipeline.

South African football stakeholders are prioritizing homegrown talent for the national team’s long-term success.

As Mokoena pointed out, investing in local players should remain a top priority.

Bafana Bafana will shift focus to their crucial Fifa World Cup qualifiers in March.

They need to secure maximum points against Lesotho and Benin to stay on course for qualification.

Hugo Broos is set to announce his squad later this month.

The team will be looking to build on their Afcon qualifiers momentum and strengthen their squad depth.