Top 10 Greatest South African Footballers (Soccer)

South African National Team photo by Rulesfan – Wikimedia commons

Top 10 Greatest South African Footballers (Soccer)

As of 23 June 2022, South Africa National Football team was ranked 12th in the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Also, the team moved one spot up in the FIFA World Cup qualifications and is currently in the 68th position. 

The splendid results in the FIFA rankings, it is a clear indication that the country is very serious with sports, especially football. This is why it has produced one of the greatest players in the world. In the article are the top ten greatest footballers from South Africa.

1. Percy Tau

South Africa Team training photo by Marcello Casal Jr/ABr – Wikimedia commons

Percy Muzi Tau born on 13 May 1994 is a South African professional soccer player who plays for the Egyptian Premier League club Al Ahly SC as a forward and the South African national team. Tau signed for Egyptian Premier League side Al Ahly SC in 2021 on a two-year contract.

Tau began his footballing career with Premier Soccer League side Mamelodi Sundowns where he made 100 appearances on either side of a loan to Witbank Spurs. He joined Brighton in 2018 but, due to work-permit complications, was loaned out to Belgian side Union SG.

Tau made his debut for South Africa on 17 October 2015 in a 0–2 loss to Angola in a 2016 African Nations Championship qualification match. On 25 March 2017, he scored his first international goal in the 69th minute against Guinea- Bissau.

2. Mihlali Mayambela

Mihlali Samson “Mabhuti” Mayambela born on August 25, 1996, is a South African footballer who plays as a midfielder for Aris Limassol. Mayambela started his youth career with Old Mutual Academy before also spending time at the two Johannesburg clubs Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs F.C.

3. Themba Zwane

South Africa Team training photo by Marcello Casal Jr/ABr – Wikimedia commons

Themba Zwane was born on 3 August 1989. He is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the Premier Soccer League club Mamelodi Sundowns and South Africa.

4. Bongani Zungu

Bongani Zungu was born on 9 October 1992. He is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Mamelodi Sundowns and the South Africa national team. Having joined the University of Pretoria from Dynamos at the start of the 2012–13 season, Zungu helped AmaTuks to a top eight finish in the club’s debut campaign in the PSL.

Zungu made his debut for South Africa in a 2–0 win against Burkina Faso on 17 August 2013. He scored his first international goal against Swaziland on 15 November 2013, with South Africa winning 3–0.

5. Zakhele Lepasa

Zakhele Lerato Lepasa born on 19 March 1997 is a South African professional soccer player. He plays as a center-forward for South African Premier Division side Orlando Pirates and the South Africa national football team.

Lepasa started his career at Orlando Pirates. In August 2018, Lepasa joined Stellenbosch on a season-long loan. He made his international debut on 2 June 2019 in a 2–2 draw with Botswana in the 2019 COSAFA Cup, with Lepasa scoring in the penalty shoot-out as South Africa lost 5–4.

6. Nyiko Mobbie

A south African Player training photo by Marcello Casal Jr/ABr – Wikimedia commons

Nyiko Sydney Mobbie was born on 11 September 1994. He is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a right back for Sekhukhune United, on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns, and the South African national team.

Mobbie made his debut for the South African national team on 4 August 2019 in a 3–0 2020 African Nations Championship qualification defeat to Lesotho. He made 5 appearances at the 2021 COSAFA Cup tournament, which South Africa won after beating Senegal in the final.

7. Aubrey Modiba

Aubrey “Postman” Modiba born 22 July 1995 is a South African soccer player who plays as a left-midfielder and left-back for Mamelodi Sundowns in the Premier Soccer League. He has played for the South Africa national under-20 soccer team and currently represents the South Africa national team.

He is a former Mpumalanga Black Aces player, where he played his first two Premier Soccer League seasons. He represented South Africa in the soccer competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Modiba currently plays for the South Africa national U23 team as a midfielder. He has earned 6 caps at the U23 level and 17 with the U20 team.

8. Lyle Foster

Football boots photo by Pipesteban – Wikimedia commons

Lyle Brent Foster born on 3 September 2000 is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Belgian First Division A club Westerlo and the South Africa national team.

He signed for Monaco in January 2019 on a deal until June 2023, where he would begin on the reserve team. On 30 August 2019, Foster joined Monaco’s farm-club Cercle Brugge in Belgium on a season-long loan. On 13 August 2020, Foster became a new player of Vitória de Guimarães. In 2021, he joined Westerlo on a season-long loan until 30 June 2022.

9. Ronwen Williams

Ronwen Williams born 21 January 1992 is a South African professional soccer player. He plays as a goalkeeper for both Premier Soccer League club Mamelodi Sundowns and the South Africa national team.

Williams spent part of his youth career with Premier League club Tottenham Hotspurs. Williams made his first match for South Africa on 5 March 2014, in a friendly against Brazil, due to a sprained ankle suffered by the first-choice keeper, Itumeleng Khune.

In August 2021, new Bafana coach Hugo Broos named Williams as the new Bafana Bafana captain, taking the armband from Thulani Hlatshwayo who failed to make the squad.

10. Itumeleng Khune

Itumeleng Khune photo by uhlsport – Wikimedia commons

Itumeleng Issac Khune born on 20 June 1987 is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League, and also the South African national team. He is the captain of both.

Khune shot to fame when he saved three penalties from Esrom Nyandoro and Peter Ndlovu against Mamelodi Sundowns in the Telkom Knockout final on 1 December 2007. He is also well known for saving a David Villa penalty and proceeding to make a double save in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup group stage match against Spain a day before his 22nd birthday on 20 June 2009.

On 16 June 2010 against Uruguay, Khune became the second goalkeeper in the history of the FIFA World Cup to be sent off. He is also famous for performing a René Higuita scorpion kick save in a league victory over Mpumalanga Black Aces on 28 October 2015.