RM
Soweto's Next Generation location_on Orlando Pirates

RELEBOHILE
MOFOKENG

Winger #17 South African flag Bafana Bafana
forum

Age

21 yrs

Height

1.72m

Value

€6m

Caps / Goals

14 / 3

Profile

Who is Relebohile

Relebohile Mofokeng is a left-footed Soweto-born winger at Orlando Pirates. He broke into the Pirates starting XI at 18, earned his first Bafana Bafana cap at 19, and drew sustained European top-five-league scouting interest after AFCON 2023. At home he is already one of the headline young players at a Soweto club, with a profile well above the PSL average for a player his age.

Tactical DNA

Mofokeng is a classic inverted winger: left-footed, deployed on the right, attacking the half-space between the opposition full-back and centre-back. His best asset is balance on contact rather than raw pace. He rides heavy tackles as well as any PSL attacker under 22, which is how he keeps possession in tight areas and still gets shots away when the defender has already made contact.

Orlando Pirates head coach José Riveiro — now in his fourth season at the club — rebuilt the 4-2-3-1 around Mofokeng from 2024 onwards. For Bafana Bafana under Hugo Broos he has been used both on the right (his club role) and on the left (where his dribble becomes a touchline-to-byline threat), a flexibility that is rare in players his age and central to his rising market value.

Career Journey

history
Orlando Pirates Academy (South Africa)

Joined the Buccaneers' Soweto-based academy at age 11. Captained every age group he played in. U19 PSL development league top scorer 2021–22 earned the senior promotion.

trophy
Orlando Pirates — senior debut
19 apps 3 goals 4 assists

First-team debut at 18. Came off the bench to assist the 2023 Nedbank Cup semi-final winner. Took the No. 17 shirt that season.

sports_soccer
Orlando Pirates — breakout
42 apps 8 goals 12 assists

Full-starter season. Bafana Bafana call-up as a 19-year-old. AFCON 2023 squad. Nedbank Cup winner. PSL Young Player of the Season.

sports_soccer
Orlando Pirates — star era
48 apps 14 goals 18 assists

Published European interest from Premier League and Bundesliga scouts. Pirates retained him on an upgraded deal. On track for 20+ goal contributions each PSL season since turning 20.

Current Season Stats

Live Data
Apps
26
PSL 2025–26
Goals
9
Assists
11
xG + xA
16.2
Dribbles / 90
5.4
Minutes
2,180

military_techHonours

emoji_events

AFCON Bronze Medal

South Africa — 2023

star

PSL Young Player of the Season

2023–24

star

Nedbank Cup Winner

Orlando Pirates — 2022–23, 2023–24

star

MTN8 Winner

Orlando Pirates — 2023–24

star

Orlando Pirates Player of the Season

2024–25

star

CAF Youth Player of the Year — nominee

2024

flagWith Bafana Bafana

14
Caps
3
Goals
2023
Debut
AFCON 2023 (bronze) WCQ 2026 AFCON 2025 qualifying
format_quote

Beyond the Pitch

Born 2 September 2004 in Dobsonville, Soweto — a neighbourhood five minutes from Orlando Stadium that has produced multiple Bafana internationals. Spotted at age 11 by an Orlando Pirates academy coach during a primary-school tournament; joined the full-time Pirates youth system that same year.

Balancing visibility with being a 21-year-old in Soweto is the Mofokeng family's biggest off-pitch project. His parents and two younger siblings have mostly stayed off social media; Pirates' media department has kept most personal interviews focused on football and community, not lifestyle.

Founding ambassador of the Pirates-backed 'Buccs for Books' literacy programme in Soweto primary schools, which he has personally visited for reading sessions multiple times a season. Donated match fees from two PSL matchdays during the 2024 AFCON qualifying cycle to the programme's textbook fund.

photo_camera alternate_email

Expert Analysis

Naledi Mokoena

Naledi Mokoena

Senior Writer

18 posts on Relebohile.

 Sibusiso Dube

Sibusiso Dube

Junior Writer

7 posts on Relebohile.

Relebohile Q&A

How old is Relebohile Mofokeng? expand_more
Relebohile Mofokeng was born on 2 September 2004 in Dobsonville, Soweto, which makes him 21 years old as of April 2026.
Which club does Relebohile Mofokeng play for? expand_more
Mofokeng plays for Orlando Pirates in South Africa's Premier Soccer League — the club he joined as an 11-year-old academy prospect in 2016. He has never played for another senior side.
Is Relebohile Mofokeng moving to Europe? expand_more
As of April 2026, there is consistent interest from Premier League and Bundesliga clubs, and an upgraded Orlando Pirates contract signed in 2024 that includes an agreed release clause. A summer 2026 or summer 2027 move is the industry consensus — nothing signed yet.
How tall is Relebohile Mofokeng? expand_more
Mofokeng is 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) — not a tall winger. His defining physical trait is balance on contact rather than aerial or power-based profile.
What is Relebohile Mofokeng's market value? expand_more
As of April 2026, Mofokeng's market value has been estimated at around €6m by mainstream player-valuation services — high for a PSL-based player but consistent with his age, position and European interest.
Did Relebohile Mofokeng play at AFCON 2023? expand_more
Yes — Mofokeng was selected in South Africa's AFCON 2023 squad as a 19-year-old and came on in multiple games during the bronze-medal run in Côte d'Ivoire. He has since been a regular Bafana Bafana starter.
Who does Relebohile Mofokeng play like? expand_more
Stylistically closest comparison inside South African football history is Quinton Fortune — a left-footed wide attacker with balance on contact and a strong penalty-box arrival. Internationally, Pirates' own analytics department has publicly compared his shot selection to Leroy Sané's 2017–18 Manchester City season.
What is Mofokeng's jersey number at Orlando Pirates? expand_more
No. 17 — the shirt he took for his senior debut season in 2022–23 and has kept ever since. It's become his signature number for merchandise across the Pirates online store.
Has Relebohile Mofokeng won the PSL? expand_more
Not yet — Orlando Pirates finished second in the PSL each of Mofokeng's senior seasons, behind Mamelodi Sundowns. He has, however, won two Nedbank Cups and a MTN8 with the Buccaneers.
How much is Relebohile Mofokeng's salary per month? expand_more
Reports from Johannesburg football media put Mofokeng's upgraded 2024 Orlando Pirates contract at around ZAR 300,000–400,000 per month. That is high for a PSL player under 22 but consistent with Pirates' published wage hierarchy for starting internationals. The figure is not officially confirmed by the club.
Is Relebohile Mofokeng still playing for Orlando Pirates? expand_more
Yes, as of April 2026. His contract runs with a negotiated release clause, and Premier League and Bundesliga interest has been documented since AFCON 2023. No transfer has been agreed to date, and Pirates' public stance is that he remains part of their 2026–27 core.

Related

Club Orlando Pirates arrow_forward Player Ronwen Williams arrow_forward Player Themba Zwane arrow_forward League Premier Soccer League arrow_forward Tournament AFCON 2023 arrow_forward

Last updated 2026-04-21 · written by Naledi Mokoena.