Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye has likened Orlando Pirates midfielder Thalente Mbatha to former FC Barcelona star Paulinho, following an impressive performance with Bafana Bafana.
Mbatha was part of the team that beat Lesotho 3-0 in the FIFA World Cup qualifying match at Free State Stadium on Friday night.
He played the full match in what was his sixth cap for Bafana having made his international debut in September 2024 during their 2-2 draw against Uganda.
After his display against Likuena on Friday, Khanye commended Mbatha, comparing his attributes as a box-to-box midfielder to retired Brazilian footballer Paulinho, who also played for Tottenham Hotspur.
“Can I please complement this boy Thalente Mbatha, that boy has improved,” Khanye said on iDiskiTV.
“That boy looks lively, he avails himself, box-to-box, he masters that position. He reminds me of Paulinho, the Brazilian.
“He was good with box-to-box [midfield role]. That’s why they hit us with 5-0 [in a friendly match].
“The Brazilians play like us, I’m a fan of that type of football. There’s no hitting the ball in the air. They are skilful like us, technically very good and hardly play with tall players.”
Did you know that the iDiski Times Digital Newspaper is completely free! Download it now by clicking the button below or fill in the form to have it sent to you every week.
