The South African national team is preparing to face Egypt, on Friday, in the second round of the group stage of the African Cup of Nations held in Morocco.
Ribeiro previously led Mbokazi (20 years old) during his tenure with Orlando Pirates, considering him “a player who has all the ingredients to succeed and play at the highest levels.”
In statements to the Africa Top Sports website, the coach pointed out “the physical aspect and mental strength, which distinguish the player from many others at the same age.”
Ribeiro, who led Al-Ahly of Egypt for a short period from the beginning of last summer until the beginning of the current season, said: “Mbokazi has all the ingredients to become a great player. He also has a distinctive football mentality and has the ability to implement ideas. I might say that he is arrogant, but in a positive way, which makes him special in front of the large crowd.”
Mbokazi played a key role in the South African national team’s 2-1 victory over Angola in the first round, noting that he gave a distinguished performance.
It is noteworthy that Ribeiro brought Orlando Pirates to the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League last edition, then moved in the summer to coach Al-Ahly, where he did not achieve good results in the Club World Cup, then setbacks precipitated his departure from the team.
