Ex-Orlando Pirates star identifies Bucs' unsung hero - 'You might not see him, but when he's not there, you will see his absence'

Former Pirates midfielder Xola Mlambo has identified Makhehlene Makhaula as the Bucs' unsung hero.

Mlambo said even if the midfielder is sometimes not visible in games, his absence will always be felt because he plays a crucial role.

"He has been an unsung hero for Pirates. When Pirates play and there's Makhaula there, you might not see him, but when he's not there, you will see his absence, because he does a lot of dirty jobs; he makes sure there's stability," Mlambo told Switch On Network YouTube Channel.

"He's the spine. His contribution in winning the balls... And I saw something different about 'Cass' (Makhaula) last season; I played with him, not that I'm biased. I saw Cass going inside the opponent's box, trying to create goals," he added.

"For a destroyer, it says a lot. It definitely shows that age is just a number. If a person has been given an opportunity, and he's saying, I'm grabbing the opportunity with both hands. I don't think a lot of people expected Makhaula to be a starter when he went to Pirates, but look at what he did."

Makhaula was named the 2024/25 Premier Soccer League Midfielder of the Season, beating his closest rivals from Mamelodi Sundowns, Teboho Mokoena and Marcelo Allende.

Last season, he featured in 22 matches and registered a goal and is expected to play a pivotal role again when the new campaign begins.

He is among the most experienced players in the Pirates' dressing room and naturally is expected to offer leadership and guidance to his younger teammates.

Their eyes are on the MTN8 quarter-final clash against Polokwane City, which they will host at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

Being the defending champions, Pirates' fans expect their players to give their all in order to retain the trophy going into the new season.