All over the world, it is every professional football player’s dream to represent his country. In South Africa, Aaron Mokoena stands head and shoulders above the rest as the only player to earn a century of international caps. The 107 times that Mokoena ran onto the pitch with a Bafana Bafana shirt on his back proves that he is one of the greatest defenders African football has seen.
“Every game that I played for Bafana Bafana meant a lot to me and I gave my best whenever I put on the national team jersey. I am aware that I have a record as the country’s most capped player. That is a great honor for me and I am very excited about it. I used to cope well whenever I was marking top strikers from other countries because I was a dedicated defender. I played under many different coaches in the national team and I respected their position. Carlos Alberto Parreira really inspired me. He used to guide us well so that players could complement each other and win together as a team, ” says Mokoena, who led his country at a World Cup.
“It is very important for the youngsters to be disciplined and focused when they want to achieve a lot with the national team like I did. They need to take their soccer career seriously, they need to work hard at training and put that extra effort in order to be competitive during the games,” he says.
Mokoena, who grew up as an Orlando Pirates supporter, has come a long way from the dusty streets of Boipatong, south of Johannesburg, when Jomo Sono identified his talent as a youngster. He only played few games for Sono’s club Jomo Cosmos before he went overseas.
Mokoena admired former South African captain Lucas Radebe and the impact he had made at Leeds United in England. It was the inspiration Mokoena used during his playing spells in Holland, Germany, Belgium and England. Playing in the English Premier League was a massive boost for his career as he consistently shone for both Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth. Playing in the FA Cup final against Chelsea in 2010 is one of the highlights of his career.
“I stayed for a short time at Cosmos and it was a good experience for me. I learned certain aspects of the game and the basics while I was at Cosmos. I was prepared to succeed wherever I went.”
Playing abroad would offer him a tougher challenge and Mokoena relished it.
“I had strong character and that is why I managed to handle the situation of living in the different countries abroad. I was very young but I dealt well with the challenges that I faced like the weather and the different languages,” says Mokoena, who was also honored with the Freedom of the City of London.
“I understood my position as a professional player. I understood that I needed to deliver whenever I got the opportunity. No matter who I teamed up with, I had to make sure that I helped the team get good results.
“Playing in England was a big step for me because I was playing in one of the best leagues in the world. The standard in England is very high and it is very competitive and I am happy that I made an impact at Blackburn and Portsmouth.”
When he returned to South African football at club level he was determined to give back at Premier Soccer League (PSL) club Wits.
“Coming back to play in South Africa again was a good feeling for me. I had some offers to go to other countries but I decided to come back home because of the professional structure and the good set-up at Wits.
“It was very encouraging to play alongside the players like Tinashe Nengomasha at Wits because he is a hard worker and he had the winning mentality.”
Captaining South Africa at the World Cup on home soil in 2010 was one of Mokoena’s proudest moments but it also provided his biggest disappointment when Bafana Bafana failed to qualify for the second round. He felt the team could have progressed further in the competition considering they were the host nation and they had massive support from home fans.
On the pitch, Mokoena had a reputation as a tenacious and tough tackler. It led to him being nicknamed Mbazo, which translated into English means the Axe. Off the pitch, he is humble and down to earth. He also feels the need to give back to the community. His Aaron Mokoena Foundation contributes to the underprivileged and donates much-needed sport equipment to schools.
“As a person I feel blessed with all that I have achieved. It is very important for me to make a difference to the community through my foundation. When I have a chance to help wherever I can, I do,” he says.
Two historic clubs in South African football, Kaizer Chiefs and Jomo Cosmos, were formed by former players Kaizer Motaung and Jomo Sono. Now it’s Mokoena’s turn to prove himself as a club owner. His passion for football is undeniable and running a team allows him to still be involved. He currently owns The Birds, a team that competes in the third division. He is also in negotiations to take over a second division side, the Vaal Legends.
“I feel there is a lot that I can offer as a club owner. There is a lot of talent in Boipatong and the entire Vaal area so I am determined to add value to the region.
“I am a very ambitious person and I feel very confident that I will succeed as a club owner because of my experience, passion and hard work.
“The development of soccer at the third division and second division level is very important. At The Birds I am the chairman and I am very committed to my duties. When the team is playing, I am around to give the players the necessary motivation. It is very important to have high spirit in the team. I communicate well with the players and I understand what they need. I make them aware of how they have to handle different kinds of situations in football.
“It is still early, however, I feel very optimistic that we will go far and achieve the goals that we set for ourselves.”
Mokoena, who drives top of the range cars, is a good role model for youngsters in the area. He is also always willing to give them advice.
Development at a grass-root level is vital to improve South African football. The South African Football Association (Safa), the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and the sports ministry should recognize the efforts former players like Mokoena. They are investing their own money in the game to take the game to a higher level.
The Axe is diving into this challenge with as much gusto as he did when he was facing top strikers around the world.