Bafana Bafana defenders Ime Okon and Mbekezeli Mbokazi were listed among the top-performing young defenders at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Okon, 22, and Mbokazi, 20, formed a great defensive duo at the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada, helping Bafana to write history.
Both featured in all four Bafana games, as Hugo Broos’ men reached the knocked stages of the World Cup for the very first time.
Bafana only conceded four goals, with Okon and Mbokazi receiving widespread laurels for their performances.
The duo have now also made the list of the top 10 U23 centre-backs at the tournament, by the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES), with Okon in fourth and Mbokazi in 10th.
Okon’s performance index vs the average centre-back at the World Cup. (Source: CIES)
Mbokazi’s performance index vs the average centre-back at the World Cup. (Source: CIES)
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