A list of the best South African players abroad: Bafana Bafana’s best footballers

The country's emergence of a new wave of talent has ushered in a golden age of football. The athletes are in their prime, which makes this even more thrilling. Khanya Leshabela is one of the South African players abroad that the country is proud to call its own.

South Africa has not been successful in the major tournaments currently. As a result, the country's football federation is not sending nearly as many talented footballers to Europe's top divisions as it once did. Although there is still a tiny but notable population of players making their way into the continent's lower-profile competitions, here are a few South African players abroad and their clubs or teams.

1. Sphephelo Sithole

South Africa's famous midfielder Sphephelo Sithole is presently signed to play for Belenenses SAD U23. He officially began his professional career when he joined the Sporting U19 team in August 2017. After waiting a year, he finally made it onto the Vitória FC U23 team. He signed with Belenenses U23 in the new year of 2019.

2. Lyle Foster

Lyle Brent Foster plays professional football for the Portuguese club Vitória Guimares. In the South African national team, he is one of the forwards. In 2016, he made his professional debut after signing with the South Africa U17 squad.

From 2017 to 2019, he was a part of the Orlando Pirates. Later in 2019, he was offered a spot with Monaco B, and in 2020, he could sign with Cercle Brugge and Vitória Guimares.

3. Kobamelo Kodisang

Kobamelo Kodisang is now signed by the Portuguese team S.C. Braga B. In August 2015, he made his Premier Soccer League debut as one of the league's youngest players. For S.C.

4. Kurt Abrahams

Kurt Abrahams, a South African professional footballer, currently plays for Westerlo in the Belgian First Division B. Cape Town native Kurt Abrahams made his professional football debut with Sint-Truiden in 2017. He signed with Westerlo in 2018 and has since played sixty matches for the team, scoring seventeen goals.

5. Sibusiso Magwaza

The offensive midfielder Sibusiso Magwaza plays for Lithuanian club FK Minija Kretinga. Back in 2014, he got his start with the reserve team of Bidvest Wits FC. He signed with FK Utenis in August 2018 and then switched to FK Minija Kretinga in May 2020.

6. Kamohelo Mokotjo

South African footballer Kamohelo Mokotjo plays for MLS club Cincinnati FC. The defensive midfielder got his start in South Africa, but it was with FC Twente in the Netherlands where he made a name for himself. Soon after, he signed a contract with Brentford and moved to England.

7. Simo Bright Mbhele

The offensive midfielder plays for the Portuguese team SU 1o Dezembro. Since joining the squad in 2018, he has quickly established himself as one of the world's most well-known South African athletes.

8. May Mahlangu

May Mahlangu plays central midfield for the FC Ordabasy team. At the tender age of fifteen, Mahlangu began his professional career with Alexandra United. He signed with the Swedish club Helsingborgs IF in 2008. He signed a one-year contract with IFK Göteborg in March 2014.

He moved to Konyaspor in 2015, and then in 2018; he signed with Ludogorets Razgrad. He signed with Ordabasy in 2022.

9. András Németh

The young star plays in the centre-forward position. He began his career in 2016 and has risen over the years to play in the following clubs, KRC Genk Youth, KRC Genk U18 and KRC Genk II. He is currently associated with KRC Genk II.

10. Mhleli Mabuza

Mhleli Mabuza is a key member of Orlando City, SC. He currently represents Lusitano Ginásio Clube, SAD of Portugal, in the Portuguese league. His professional career began in 2018 with Galitos FC U19, and he just switched to CD Pinhalnovense U19. In July 2019, a transition to Lusitano SAD was finalized.

11. Lebogang Phiri

Lebogang Phiri, aged 26, plays professional football for EA Guingamp of France's Ligue 1. He also competes for the South African national team. Phiri kicked off his career in 2012 with Bradby IF. He signed with the French club Guingamp in 2017 and played there until the 2018–19 Ligue 1 season. He was given a shot at Ligue 2 this year and made 25 appearances with one goal.

12. Gift Links

South African footballer Gift Links plays for the Danish Superliga club AGF. He was a Cape Town City team member in 2018 and 2019 before signing with the club.

13. Tashreeq Matthews

Twenty-year-old Tashreeq Matthews has family ties to Cape Town, South Africa, where he was born and raised. Matthews has played on the South African U20 squad. The German club Borussia Dortmund signed him in November 2018.

After joining Varbergs BoIS in 2020, he has made over ten appearances for the team since joining on loan from Utrecht in 2019. He is now among the most famous South African players at a tender age.

14. Liam Jordan

Liam, If you need further proof that the apple does not fall far from the tree, look no further than Jonathan Jordan's meteoric rise in football. His father, the legendary South African player Keryn Jordan, is an inspiration to him. In the 2015–16 season of the Nedbank Cup, Liam made his debut for a professional football team.

15. Keanin Ayer

At age twelve, he moved from Eldorado Park to an academy in Ghana since football had become his haven. Ayer graduated at 18 and joined his squad at FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark.

He was transferred to Varberg later that same year (2018). In 2021, he helped Verbarg advance to the next level of the Superetta. Keanin was a South African Under-20 team member that competed in the 2019 World Youth Championship in Poland in the middle of the year.

17. Karol Lebogang

Karol Morula, son of former Bafana Bafana player Lebo Morula, played for Juan Aurich of Peru. He set a new record by playing 34 games during the season, contributing 1 goal and four assists.

18. Thabo Cele

In 2016, after graduating from the KwaZulu Natal Academy, the then-twenty-three-year-old began his professional football career with Real SC. Cele signed with Benfica B in 2017 and moved to Real SC the following year.

Thabo signed with Cova Piedade from Benfica B in 2018 after accepting a contract offer from the club in June. He is primarily a central midfielder.

19. Luke Le Roux

He plays midfield for Varbergs BoIS. He is a professional football player. His professional career kicked off in 2016, and he was a member of SuperSport United's roster till 2020. He was a loan player for Stellenbosch FC from 2016-2018.

20. Khanya Leshabela

Khanya Leshaba is an exciting and strategic midfielder with a deft touch on the ball. He plays for Crewe Alexandra in English League 2 after exiting Leicester City in the Premier League.

He has been so impressive that former coach Claude Puel signed him to a three-year contract in 2019. As a result, he was given a spot on the Europa League bench not long ago. One of the most brilliant footballers, Khanya Leshabela, seems to have a future that is too bright for his age.

21. Percy Tau

Percy Tau is a striker for Al Ahly in Egypt. Tau played for Brighton & Hove Albion for four seasons in the English Premier League. However, he only started three Premier League games and six overall during his time at Brighton.

Super Eagles midfielder Ifeanyi Ifeanyi shows off teammates in Iraq as he enjoys Assalamualaikum by Asake

Football

Pau played for Union SG, Club Brugge, and Anderlecht in Belgium while on loan from Brighton. Tau has scored 13 goals for the national team, the most of any active player. He is currently the best player in the South African national team.

South African players abroad and their salaries

Soccer players from South Africa have been migrating to Europe for quite some time now. That has not been the case, though, for the past decade, thanks to the generous salaries provided by the PSL.

When Tau signed with Brighton & Hove Albion, he became a billionaire overnight. He is undoubtedly the highest-paid South African footballer in the world.

Who is the best South African footballer of all time?

Benni McCarthy is the best South African Soccer Player ever. He was also the 2004 Portuguese League's highest goal scorer with twenty goals.

Most South African players who are making us proud overseas are, if you have been paying attention, rather young. But, again, this demonstrates how lucrative the profession is.

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