Mhlongo: Every Player Is Fighting To Be In The World Cup

Photo Credit: Gallo Images/Dirk Kotze

Former Bafana Bafana midfielder Benson Mhlongo has said that most teams, including Orlando Pirates, are doing very well this season because every player is fighting to be in the World Cup squad.

Talking to Soccer Laduma in an exclusive interview, Mhlongo, who also played for Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns said that Pirates have the chance of winning the league this season because of the way they are playing. 

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“They have got a squad that competes to perform. You know they don’t have only 28 players. There are more than 18. And everyone has been given the opportunity to make use of it. So once a team competes amongst themselves with the performance the only thing that you get is winning games. 

Meanwhile, the former Bafana Bafana midfielder emphasised that since it’s a World Cup year, every player fights for a place in the national team. 

“And as you know there is World Cup every player is fighting to go to the World Cup. That makes a huge difference because of the two competitions the Afcon and the World Cup. You can see even other teams, like Sekhukhune United they are raising their hands. So I think it’s a World Cup season that they grabbed it as Pirates players and its pushing them to be part of the World Cup so they perform at club level,” Mhlongo concluded.

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Pirates had nine players in the Afcon squad in Morocco in January which included Sipho Chaine,  Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Sipho Mbule, Tshepang Moremi, Ashwin Appollis, Thalente Mbatha, Relebogile Mofokeng and Evidence Makgopa. 

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