Mofokeng gets sound warning from Mokoena: ‘Rele should be 10 times better’

Bafana Bafana international Relebohile Mofokeng recently left Premier Soccer League champions Orlando Pirates for Belgian outfit Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.

The 21-year-old was rewarded for his consistency, talent and hard work since promotion to the Soweto giants’ senior team at the end of the 2022/23 season under the then Bucs coach Jose Riveiro.

The 2025/26 campaign was his best; the versatile attacker helped the Buccaneers win the MTN8 and the Carling Knockout, but the icing on the cake was winning the PSL title, which was the club’s first after 14 years in the cold.

Furthermore, Mofokeng was part of the South Africa squad that made history in the 2026 FIFA World Cup by reaching the second round of the competition. Bafana Bafana legend Aaron Mokoena has now explained why Mofokeng has a huge task in Belgium.

Why will it be tough for Mofokeng?

The first thing he must understand is that he’s a foreigner,” Mokoena said as quoted by iDiski Times.

“He’s going to have to be 10 times better than the local players. They accept foreign players who are exceptional. They accept foreign players who work hard.

 “They accept foreign players who deliver. Average simply won’t do. It’s not enough just to be talented. You’ve got to show them every single week.”

Mofokeng must ‘play every week’

He just needs to be himself,” Mokoena continued.

“The talent he has, now is the time to let it out. He mustn’t hide. If he plays well, he’ll win the supporters. And once you’ve won the supporters, you settle much quicker. When you’re playing every week, and the supporters accept you, settling becomes much easier. If you aren’t playing, then every day feels longer.

“There are a lot of African people in Belgium. He won’t struggle to find people he relates to. When you’re a foreigner, you naturally connect with other foreign players. That helps you settle much quicker.”