Hugo Broos left Sipho Mbule out of the Bafana Bafana squad for their recent friendlies against Panama in Durban and Cape Town.
Image: BackpagePix
Bafana Bafana legend Teko Modise has delivered a blunt assessment of Sipho Mbule, warning that the Orlando Pirates midfielder risks becoming a player defined forever by potential rather than achievement.
Mbule’s current situation reflects a frustratingly familiar pattern. After a bright start to the season following his high-profile move to Pirates, the 28-year-old has seen his influence fade, slipping out of regular contention and becoming a bit-part figure in recent weeks.
Once regarded as one of the most naturally gifted midfielders in South African football, Mbule burst onto the scene with SuperSport United during the 2017/18 season. He quickly earned a reputation as a player capable of dictating matches with ease, a promise that eventually led to a move to Mamelodi Sundowns.
But instead of ascending to the next level, his progress stalled. Off-field distractions and inconsistency saw him fall down the pecking order at Chloorkop, leading to a loan spell at Sekhukhune United. His permanent move to Orlando Pirates was intended to be a career reset — a fresh start at a club known for granting attacking players the freedom to express themselves.
For a brief moment, the move appeared to be working. Mbule began the campaign in strong form and earned a place in the squad for the 2025 AFCON finals. Yet, as the season has unfolded, that momentum has dissipated.
His performances have dipped, opportunities have become limited, and his standing in the national setup has taken a significant hit. Once tipped by Hugo Broos as a potential successor to Themba Zwane, Mbule now finds himself outside the Bafana fold, with his chances of making the 2026 Fifa World Cup squad increasingly uncertain.
It is this stagnation that prompted Modise’s frank intervention on the iDiski Dine Podcast.
“I know I might sound like a hater, but for me personally, it feels like he’s been ‘bubbling under’ for so long,” Modise said. “When Sipho was still at SuperSport, there were rumours of him going to [Kaizer] Chiefs, rumours of going everywhere. I remember doing a Sundowns-SuperSport game; as I left, I bumped into Stan Matthews and he said to me, ‘I need to talk to you.’
“He took me aside and said, ‘After you at SuperSport, the very same talent you had, the very same way I felt about you, is this boy Sipho. Can you please talk to him? I think he has great potential, just like you had, but I think he is just stuck in his ways.’”
Modise revealed that the pleas for him to mentor Mbule have been a recurring theme throughout the player’s career.
“I have been asked to talk to Sipho for such a long time. Stan Matthews did; when Sipho signed for Sundowns, our chairman [Tlhopie Motsepe] did. Maybe because we don’t have similar stories, but from a talent point of view, they saw a connection. Maybe there are people who told Sipho that I have an issue with him,” the former Pirates star continued.
“Sipho has the potential to be great, just like Rele [Mofokeng], [Jayden] Adams, or Teboho Mokoena. They all have greatness. But the reason why 'Mshishi' (Themba Zwane) is Mshishi is that he goes and trains extra every single day. The very same distractions that everyone playing football has, we had them too. Social media was there. There is no excuse; it’s on you. Use us as a reference.”
For Mbule, the message is clear: talent alone is no longer enough. At 28, the window to transform promise into a lasting legacy is narrowing. Unless there is a decisive shift in application, Modise’s warning may soon become an uncomfortable reality.
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