Mohau Nkota wants to emulate Tshabalala at 2026 FIFA World Cup

Former Orlando Pirates winger Mohau Nkota has boldly declared his ambition to follow in the footsteps of Simphiwe Tshabalala by scoring the opening goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Bafana Bafana have been drawn in Group A, where they will face co-hosts Mexico in a historic rematch of the 2010 World Cup opener. The clash is set for 11 June 2026, exactly 16 years after Tshabalala’s unforgettable thunderbolt against Mexico in Johannesburg.

Joining Mexico and South Africa in Group A are Korea Republic and the eventual winner of the European playoffs , contested between Denmark vs North Macedonia and Czech Republic vs Ireland, with the two winners meeting for the final qualification spot.

Speaking after the draw, Nkota told SuperSport TV:

“I won’t say it’s easy teams, they’re all best teams. For us it’s to just go and prove ourselves, raise our hands up and we will do better in the games.”

Nkota, who sometimes wears the iconic number 8 jersey once donned by Tshabalala, admitted that the 2010 opener left a lasting impression on him as a child.

“I was 5 years old when Tshabalala scored and just playing on the street as a young boy. For me, I just go there to score. I want to score the first goals of the FIFA World Cup.” (SuperSport TV)

The full fixture list for the 2026 World Cup will be officially released on Saturday, setting the stage for what promises to be another memorable tournament.