“He [Mbekezeli Mbokazi] is a player that has high potential,” said Berhalter.
Chicago Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter has explained the reason why they acquired the services of Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Puso Dithejane,
The Major League Soccer (MLS) side signed Mbokazi and Dithejane from Orlando Pirates and TS Galaxy respectively during the current transfer window.
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After being given a chance by then coach Jose Riveiro in March 2025, Mbokazi went on to establish himself as one of the best central defenders in South Africa and became a permanent feature in Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana squad.
Speaking to the media, Berhalter praised Mbokazi, saying he has great potential and can deal with top players.
“He [Mbekezeli Mbokazi] is a player that has high potential, he’s shown that he can deal with some top players and play at the highest stage,” said Berhalter.
“And now for us it’s about getting him prepared, used to the league, adapting to the league and getting him prepared for the World Cup.
Commenting on Dithejane, Berhalter said: “There’s two things, the first is, we want to bring talented players who can help the squad into this club.
“Secondly, we think it’s beneficial for them to have each other and to work in pairs. It’s gonna be a huge transition for both players and it’s comforting they’ll have them from their home country to help them adapt.”
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Mbokazi and Dithejane hope the move to Chicago Fire will boost their chances of making the Bafana Bafana squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.