SuperSport United captain Thulani Hlatshwayo has been impressed with youngster Neo Rapoo’s showing this season at his club and likened his young teammate to the legendary David Nyathi and former Kaizer Chiefs man Tsepo Masilela.
Nyathi was part of the senior national team that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 and qualified for the FIFA World Cup in France in 1998.
The SAFA coach is known for his versatility in attack and defence and his skill elements that Hlatshwayo feel young Rapoo possess.
The 19-year-old was a key part of the U20 side that won the 2025 U20 AFCON in Egypt and helped the team qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile.
His captain told iDiski Times writer Lethabo Kganyago in edition 207 of the newspaper that the youngster is one for the future.
“Neo is the future,” Hlatshwayo told iDiski Times.
“I think the last left-back that was like this was maybe David Nyathi or Tshepo Masilela. A left-back that’s good at one vs one situations and can also take you on and put on crosses, which was one of the things that coach Gavin [Hunt] loves about him, playing with crosses and everything.
“And he is one for the future. I’m very happy for him that the team allowed him to go play that U20 AFCON because we played AFCON, and then we qualified for the 2009 World Cup with our U20, and we became household names in South Africa and played for Bafana Bafana. So, I think he’s in the right direction, going toward that success.”
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