Bafana Bafana and Rangers defender Olwethu Makhanya has received special praise after his blistering start to life with the Scottish giants.
Makhanya, 22, secured a transfer from Major League Soccer (MLS) side Philadelphia Union to the Rangers in a deal worth a reported $4.5 million (R68m) after emerging as one of the leading performers in United States of America.
He was nominated for the Defender of the Season award after playing a key role in guiding them to the MLS Supporters Shield (most points in the league) under then head coach and compatriot Bradley Carnell.
It led to his inclusion in the Bafana squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup but he was behind the pecking order of Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Ime Okon during the tournament where they reached the last-32 of the global event.
And now his move to Rangers has seen his status elevated significantly, with fans, media and now teammates raving about his ability and immense potential, with suggestions he could even move on to a bigger club by January given his displays already.
Super Eagles defender Emmanuel Fernandez says he’s been blown away by the former Stellenbosch defender, who left the Premier Soccer League for MLS as a teenager.
“He’s a very good player, South African boy. To be fair, I was surprised from when he came in. I didn’t expect him to be as good as he is, but he’s a top player,” he told Footy-Africa.
“There’s even still more to come from him, there’s still more understanding to come from him, because the game’s a bit different in Scotland, but he’s very good.”
Makhanya played a key role in defence for Pitso Mosimane’s squad as they opened the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with back to back wins, over Guinea and Eritrea.