Critics slammed for doubting Mbokazi’s age – ‘When you watch him on TV, he looks a bit older’

Orlando Pirates assistant captain Mbekezeli Mbokazi has been putting up solid displays for both the Sea Robbers and Bafana Bafana.

Since making his senior debut in March, the 20-year-old has played in the CAF Champions League, where he helped Bucs reach the semi-final. He has been a permanent feature in the Premier Soccer League and is not a starter for the South African national team. 

Owing to his physique, some people have been questioning the age of the Bucs defender, with some claiming that's not his real age.

However, his academy coach, Wonder Mnguni, has rubbished the reports, insisting the defender hasn't hidden his age as alleged by critics. 

The tactician insists that some on-field aspects confuse the fans who feel the defender is more than his current age. 

Mbokazi looks a bit older but…

“I can attest, I saw the birth certificate of Mbekezeli, and I saw his ID when he came to us,” he said in his interview with idiski Times.

“He was doing Grade 10 that was in 2023. He was a bit late in school when you look at his age. And the other thing people must know, when you watch him on TV, he looks a bit older, but when you see him live, you can see he’s a young boy.

“That’s one thing that confuses people, and also the way he’s built and how he fights on the field, they then think he’s old, but in reality, the boy is very young,” Mnguni concluded.