Sekhukhune United winger Keletso Makgalwa says Pitso Mosimane played a massive role in his rise to professional football and believes he’s close to reaching the potential he projected.
Mosimane stated back in 2017 that Makgalwa was the next star of South African football when he was promoted from the reserve team where his dominance earned him the nickname, Aguero, due to his explosive style of play and finishing.
However, it’s been a turbulent journey for the player over nearly a decade, as he now looks set to finally make his senior national team debut at the age of 28 – a belated journey, given his meteoric rise with Sundowns.
The diminutive forward played in the U20 FIFA World Cup and U23 Africa Cup of Nations for the country, but after a career revival in the second tier at Upington and now taking it further at Babina Noko, he’s ready to make up for lost time.
“Injuries played a big role [in lack of progress in my career], I went to Upington, I terminated my contract with Sundowns, I needed to start afresh, I told myself one day I want to see myself coming back and being in the Sundowns team,” he said.
“I knew I needed to work hard and come back very strong… I think I’ve been working very hard, working toward [living up to my potential] it was not easy to be honest. Playing at such a big team like Mamelodi Sundowns, to break into the first team was not easy.
“Coach Pitso helped me so much to be where I was at that time – I’m so grateful, and I think I’m getting closer.”
By his own admission, having scored six goals with 11 assists, which earned him nominations for the PSL Footballer of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season, Makgalwa said he had a slow start to the 2025/26 season.
However, he’s taken his tally to six assists in 15 games now – and is hoping for further improvement to stake his claim for a place in the national team squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco next month.
“To be honest I didn’t start the season very well like last season, I think it was the best season of my career, I had to change the mentality, as the teams were planning around me, so I had to adjust my game,” he said about his AFCON squad ambitions.
“So, with the help of coach Eric, I think now my performances are good [as I try to make an impression] for the AFCON selection.”
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