Nkota tipped by Chiefs legend to be the X-factor at AFCON: He’s direct, dynamic & athletic

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is exactly a month away meaning teams, including Bafana Bafana, will soon start intensifying their preparations for the biennial competition that will be played in Morocco from December 21 to January 18.

Among the players guaranteed a place in the team is former Orlando Pirates player Mohau Nkota. The 21-year-old made a name in the 2024/25 campaign, a season he was handed his debut by the then Bucs coach Jose Riveiro.

The pacey winger has been a hit for Bafana Bafana in the seven games played where he has found the back of the net two times and provided three assists in the process.

Initially, there were concerns about his future after making a shocking move to the Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ettifaq, but Nkota has shown no signs of slowing down.

Nkota to carry Bafana Bafana in AFCON

Kaizer Chiefs legend Willard Katsande has explained why he feels the Pirates Academy graduate will be the main man for Hugo Broos’ men in Morocco.

“When it comes to South Africa, they have a number of good players, but I would single out Nkota,” Katsande told FARPost

“Although his current club is in Saudi Arabia – not Europe – the quality of football there is high, and he’s performing at the highest level.

You can see the difference when he comes back to the national team. This boy is continuously growing, his game is improving. He’s a difference‑maker, as shown in the 1‑1 draw versus Nigeria. He’s direct, dynamic and athletic.

“He’s meeting them there in Saudi [stars like Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez], so there’s nothing new for him – he’ll definitely be the ace up their sleeve,” Katsande concluded.