Mbekezeli Mbokazi set to travel to Chile? Coach hopeful of securing Orlando Pirates vice-captain's services with Abdeslam Ouaddou happy to release Bafana Bafana defender

Orlando Pirates are keen on having Bafana Bafana and South Africa Under-20 defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi, as their other centre-backs are battling fitness issues. 

This comes as the teenage defender is also needed by Raymond Mdaka for the 2025 FIFA Under-20 World Cup which runs from September 27 to October 19 in Chile. 

Amajita are already in camp preparing for the youth tournament at a time Mbokazi is with the Bafana Bafana side for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria.

Should Pirates allow Mbokazi to go to Chile and Amajita reach the knockouts, that would make him unavailable for October's Bafana World Cup qualifiers. 

The Buccaneers coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, has promised not to block Mbokazi from joining the Under-20 national team after his predecesso,r Jose Riveir,o could not release him for the 2025 Africa Under-20 Cup of Nations.

Mdaka explains the defender's situation.

"We told ourselves that yes, we are without Mbokazi, but we are with him in spirit," said Mdaka when speaking to reporters.
"I don’t want to comment that much for now and jinx things. We believe he can still form part of the final squad.  
"In fact, we have him on our list because he is one player who has grown with this team. And he has been part of the process that got us this far," added the Amajita coach.
"So, I will not comment that much because he is currently with Bafana Bafana for the World Cup qualifiers. If he was not with Bafana, he was going to be with us."

Mbokazi's rise to become a Pirates regular, gaining CAF Champions League experience and becoming one of the Buccaneers' captains is what makes Mdaka keen on having the defender in Chile. 

For Bafana coach Hugo Broos, he would pray that Nkosinathi Sibisi recovers from injury, Grant Kekana picks up form, Mothobi Mvala gets back into the Mamelodi Sundowns first team and for Ime Okon to regain full fitness so that he will not be desperate to have Mbokazi in October. 

At the same time, Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou would want to see Sibisi, Olisa Ndah and Thabiso Sesane becoming fit again for him not to fully depend on the 19-year-old defender in the upcoming weeks. 

Although Ouaddou has Tapelo Xoki and Lebone Seema available, he still relies on Mbokazi as the Buccaneers prepare for net weekend's MTN8 final against Stellenbosch.  

Ndah is said to be back training and his availability might see Mbokazi being released to join the South Africa Under-20 side.