Kaizer Chiefs Legend, Jabu Mahlangu during the 2024 Toyota Cup match between Kaizer Chiefs and Young Africans SC at Toyota Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on the 28th of July 2024 ©Nokwanda Zondi/BackpagePix
Sunday Feb 08, 2026. 14:51
Former Kaizer Chiefs star Jabu Mahlangu believes that South Africa could face squad issues around their core group of players heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
With Bafana making use of numerous Sundowns talents as the backbone to their squad, Mahlangu believes that Miguel Cardoso’s squad selection of foreign players could stifle the form of home-grown stars.
Fondly known as ‘Pule’, Mahlangu also expressed that big clubs in South Africa should follow the example set by top European clubs.
“Bafana Bafana’s core has been affected, we don’t mean to question who coach Cardoso should select or not. But we can make examples,” Mahlangu said on the Jabu Mahlangu & Diski Shandis podcast, as per FarPost.
“I always make this example about FC Barcelona, when they [Spain] were about to play the 2006 World Cup. Sergio Busquets had just been promoted, and Yaya Touré was far better than Busquets. But Pep Guardiola sacrificed Toure, he insisted on playing Busquets, and he made the Spain squad,” Mahlangu explained.
“He eventually became a world-class player. So all these big teams like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, they know that before big tournaments, they prioritise their homegrown talent. They do that in Europe.
Mahlangu went on to mention that the influx of expensive foreign players at Chloorkop will push young prospects down the pecking order.
“Sundowns are forced to play the South American players that they buy for figures of R50 million, I don’t know for sure, but those are the prices we read about. You won’t buy somebody in Colombia for that amount of money and not play them,” The South African legend continued.
“But coaches such as Rulani [Mokwena] and Pitso [Mosimane], they got the balance right, they prioritised South African players. Yes, they had that special player from outside, but not four or five of them.
“Secondly, I don’t think senior Sundowns coaches care about the club’s development of players. It’s not my opinion; it is written. When you play in the DDC [DStv Diski Challenge] team, they promote you to the first team, play you once, and we never see you again; they loan you.
“But if you look at Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, they have kids they promoted and are now playing in the first team for many years, but it does not happen at Sundowns. Personally, I feel sorry for Sundowns youngsters.”