Following South Africa’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification process, captain William Troost-Ekong has publicly lauded defender Mbekezile Mbokazi. Ekong identified Mbokazi as Bafana Bafana’s most impressive player throughout the tournament, despite the team’s early departure. The praise comes as a gesture of sportsmanship and recognition of individual performance within a collective failure to advance. While details of the specific matches or Mbokazi’s standout plays weren’t detailed, Ekong’s comments underscore the defender’s contribution. This acknowledgement aims to offer a positive note following the national team’s unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign. The statement was reported by PunchNG, a Nigerian newspaper.