Thalente Mbatha #5

Profile

Mbatha’s first name – “talent” in colloquial IsiZulu, one of South Africa’s 12 official languages – suits him. After impressing with the now defunct SuperSport United he moved to Orlando Pirates in 2024 and cemented his reputation as an all-action midfielder. He packs a powerful shot and has stacks of energy and speed. His former coach at Orlando Pirates, José Riveiro, described Mbatha as a “really complete football player”, while the midfielder credited the Spaniard with making him the player he has become: “I am really grateful to the coach and Pirates for giving me the opportunity… The coach has influenced my football greatly.” He also spoke recently about how playing for a big club had changed his life, telling iDiski Times: “I got my first national team call-up, I was able to be seen outside the country, and my name is now on a bigger stage. That’s something I’ve always worked toward. [Although] it’s hard to do things in private now, where I can just laugh out loud in a mall or be myself. Now there are opinions about you. People watch you, judge you, and sometimes even misunderstand you. If I have a disagreement in a shop or say something that someone doesn’t like, suddenly it’s a headline, because of who I am. That’s a lot of pressure for a young player to adjust to.”

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