Bafana Bafana’s Broos explains what makes Rele lethal as a No.10 as opposed to a wide role

Relebohile Mofokeng has been lauded by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos thanks to his recent exploits for Orlando Pirates.

In his last 10 games for Bucs, across all competitions, the 21-year-old has scored seven goals and provided three assists. On Sunday, he scored his first ever professional hat-trick in the 6-0 win over TS Galaxy in the Premier Soccer League.

Broos is happy with what Mofokeng is achieving especially after the struggles he experienced in the 2024/25 season owing to unsettling transfer news.

Bafana Bafana atatcker Mofokeng lauded by Broos

“He’s on the right time in good shape, not only for him, but Rele was in a period looking for himself, he became very quick a star here in South Africa and once you have that level, things become difficult,” Broos told the media.

“It happened with Rele, there was so much things around his head that he forgot to play football and this is totally normal, I don’t blame him for that, being such a young guy and then suddenly everyone wants to be with you, it’s difficult to manage that.

“So, he didn’t have such a good season last season in Pirates and this season, little by little you saw him coming and now you see Rele again, the one everyone wants to see, a very good player and in a different position,” the Belgian added.

Why Bafana Bafana & Pirates Mofokeng is best at No. 10

“He’s playing more central and this is the future for Rele, he’s not a winger. He can play on the wings against an opponent that’s not so strong, but against stronger opponents, he will never player a good game because he’s not a winger.

“He doesn’t have that explosivity or on the line dribbling as a player. That’s not his qualities, his qualities are his intelligence, his good passes, using the spaces, that’s where Rele is the best and I think now that the coach at Pirates will give him that position.

“And it’s not that he scored three times yesterday that we saying, ‘ah you see’, no, no this is something we know as his best position and he’s coming, that I can tell you – to Bafana to play that position and not on the wings anymore,” Broos concluded.