South Africa’s victory at the recent COSAFA Under-20 Championships highlighted the quality of the teenage talent in the country‚ but that was only a small sample of budding young stars.
SowetanLIVE picks 15 teenage stars in South African football who are set to have a bright future in the game.
1) TYRIQUE BARTLETT (NEWCASTLE UNITED‚ ENGLAND‚ 18)
The son of former Bafana Bafana international Shaun Bartlett‚ Tyrique is making good progress with the Under-23 side at English Premier League Newcastle United.
The tall forward has also represented Amajita this year.
2) KIYAAM BULL (AJAX CAPE TOWN‚ 18)
Centre-back Bull was recently promoted to the Ajax Cape Town first team and was part of the Amajita side that won the COSAFA tournament in Zambia.
Tough and uncompromising‚ he has the air of a young Clayton Daniels.
3) LYLE FOSTER (ORLANDO PIRATES‚ 17)
The Pirates forward has already made his PSL debut and had a trial at French Ligue 1 side Monaco.
He looks likely to move abroad sooner rather than later‚ perhaps as early as the next transfer window in January.
Was the lead forward for Amajita in Zambia.
4) REEVE FROSLER (BIDVEST WITS‚ 19)
The rampaging right-back has become a regular at BidVest Wits‚ helping them lift the league title last season and earning a Bafana Bafana call‚ though he has yet to win a cap.
Is very much an attacking fullback option.
5) LIAM JORDAN (SPORTING LISBON‚ PORTUGAL‚ 19)
Jordan is already a Bafana Bafana international from his time at the COSAFA Castle Cup earlier this year and resigned with Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon for this campaign.
He is steadily moving through their junior structures.
6) SERGIO KAMMIES (AJAX CAPE TOWN‚ 19)
Kammies made his PSL bow this season and has looked assured in the right-back position from game one.
He does not get forward much‚ but reads the game well and has shown his willingness to put his body on the line.
7) KOBAMELO KODISANG BIDVEST WITS‚ 18)
Kodisang has been in the PSL for a few seasons now having made his bow at Platinum Stars as a 16-year-old.
Now with Wits‚ he is making good progress‚ though the team's struggles in this campaign mean he has been used less than he might have hoped.
8) GRANT MARGEMAN (AJAX CAPE TOWN‚ 19)
The nuggety midfielder is small in stature but big in heart and gets through an enormous amount of work in a game.
He has a good passing range and is clever when in possession.
9) SIPHO MBULE (SUPERSPORT UNITED‚ 19)
Mbule shot to national prominence with his superb strike in the first leg of the African Confederation Cup final against TP Mazembe‚ but those in the know have spoken about his quality for a long while already.
He has established himself as a regular in the team in recent months.
10) SIPHO MDLALOSE (SOUTHAMPTON‚ ENGLAND‚ 18)
Mdlalose continued to make progress at English Premier League Southampton‚ where he has turned out for the club’s Under-23s this season‚ despite only being 18.
The winger is on the radar of the national selectors having been called-up for the Under-19 side that was to compete at the cancelled Durban International Football Tournament earlier this year.
11) WISEMAN MEYIWA (KAIZER CHIEFS‚ 17)
Meyiwa has made his Chiefs debut this season and bagged a goal in his first game.
He has continued to impress‚ though showed his petulant side with a needless red card in a Telkom Knockout loss to BidVest Wits.
12) LUVUYO MKATSHANA (BIDVEST WITS‚ 19)
Player of the Tournament at the COSAFA Under-20 Championships in Zambia‚ he has good strength and skill‚ and clearly an eye for goal.
In the current environment at Wits it may be difficult for him to make the breakthrough‚ but he looks a top performer in the making.
13) THENDO MUKUMELA (MAMELODI SUNDOWNS‚ 19)
The captain of the Under-20 side in Zambia‚ centre-back Mukumela showed great maturity and organised his defence well as they only conceded a single goal in five games‚ though he missed one of those through suspension.
14) KAMOGELO SAMBO (MAMELODI SUNDOWNS‚ 19)
Fullback Sambo showed his willingness to get forward with a goal in the final of the Under-20 tournament in Zambia‚ but also defended well throughout the competition.
His next goal is to make the breakthrough at Sundowns.
14) SPHEPHELO SITHOLE (SPORTING LISBON‚ PORTUGAL‚ 18)
A produce of the KwaZulu-Natal Academy‚ Sithole joined Sporting Lisbon in Portugal at the start of this season and has featured for the club’s Under-19 side.
A tall‚ Patrick Vieira-type‚ there are high hopes he will be a real star for the senior national team in the future.
Teenage stars in South African football who are set to have a bright future
Image: Petri Oeschger/Gallo Images
South Africa’s victory at the recent COSAFA Under-20 Championships highlighted the quality of the teenage talent in the country‚ but that was only a small sample of budding young stars.
SowetanLIVE picks 15 teenage stars in South African football who are set to have a bright future in the game.
1) TYRIQUE BARTLETT (NEWCASTLE UNITED‚ ENGLAND‚ 18)
The son of former Bafana Bafana international Shaun Bartlett‚ Tyrique is making good progress with the Under-23 side at English Premier League Newcastle United.
The tall forward has also represented Amajita this year.
2) KIYAAM BULL (AJAX CAPE TOWN‚ 18)
Centre-back Bull was recently promoted to the Ajax Cape Town first team and was part of the Amajita side that won the COSAFA tournament in Zambia.
Tough and uncompromising‚ he has the air of a young Clayton Daniels.
3) LYLE FOSTER (ORLANDO PIRATES‚ 17)
The Pirates forward has already made his PSL debut and had a trial at French Ligue 1 side Monaco.
He looks likely to move abroad sooner rather than later‚ perhaps as early as the next transfer window in January.
Was the lead forward for Amajita in Zambia.
4) REEVE FROSLER (BIDVEST WITS‚ 19)
The rampaging right-back has become a regular at BidVest Wits‚ helping them lift the league title last season and earning a Bafana Bafana call‚ though he has yet to win a cap.
Is very much an attacking fullback option.
5) LIAM JORDAN (SPORTING LISBON‚ PORTUGAL‚ 19)
Jordan is already a Bafana Bafana international from his time at the COSAFA Castle Cup earlier this year and resigned with Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon for this campaign.
He is steadily moving through their junior structures.
6) SERGIO KAMMIES (AJAX CAPE TOWN‚ 19)
Kammies made his PSL bow this season and has looked assured in the right-back position from game one.
He does not get forward much‚ but reads the game well and has shown his willingness to put his body on the line.
7) KOBAMELO KODISANG BIDVEST WITS‚ 18)
Kodisang has been in the PSL for a few seasons now having made his bow at Platinum Stars as a 16-year-old.
Now with Wits‚ he is making good progress‚ though the team's struggles in this campaign mean he has been used less than he might have hoped.
8) GRANT MARGEMAN (AJAX CAPE TOWN‚ 19)
The nuggety midfielder is small in stature but big in heart and gets through an enormous amount of work in a game.
He has a good passing range and is clever when in possession.
9) SIPHO MBULE (SUPERSPORT UNITED‚ 19)
Mbule shot to national prominence with his superb strike in the first leg of the African Confederation Cup final against TP Mazembe‚ but those in the know have spoken about his quality for a long while already.
He has established himself as a regular in the team in recent months.
10) SIPHO MDLALOSE (SOUTHAMPTON‚ ENGLAND‚ 18)
Mdlalose continued to make progress at English Premier League Southampton‚ where he has turned out for the club’s Under-23s this season‚ despite only being 18.
The winger is on the radar of the national selectors having been called-up for the Under-19 side that was to compete at the cancelled Durban International Football Tournament earlier this year.
11) WISEMAN MEYIWA (KAIZER CHIEFS‚ 17)
Meyiwa has made his Chiefs debut this season and bagged a goal in his first game.
He has continued to impress‚ though showed his petulant side with a needless red card in a Telkom Knockout loss to BidVest Wits.
12) LUVUYO MKATSHANA (BIDVEST WITS‚ 19)
Player of the Tournament at the COSAFA Under-20 Championships in Zambia‚ he has good strength and skill‚ and clearly an eye for goal.
In the current environment at Wits it may be difficult for him to make the breakthrough‚ but he looks a top performer in the making.
13) THENDO MUKUMELA (MAMELODI SUNDOWNS‚ 19)
The captain of the Under-20 side in Zambia‚ centre-back Mukumela showed great maturity and organised his defence well as they only conceded a single goal in five games‚ though he missed one of those through suspension.
14) KAMOGELO SAMBO (MAMELODI SUNDOWNS‚ 19)
Fullback Sambo showed his willingness to get forward with a goal in the final of the Under-20 tournament in Zambia‚ but also defended well throughout the competition.
His next goal is to make the breakthrough at Sundowns.
14) SPHEPHELO SITHOLE (SPORTING LISBON‚ PORTUGAL‚ 18)
A produce of the KwaZulu-Natal Academy‚ Sithole joined Sporting Lisbon in Portugal at the start of this season and has featured for the club’s Under-19 side.
A tall‚ Patrick Vieira-type‚ there are high hopes he will be a real star for the senior national team in the future.
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