FIFA names Maseko in list of five African talents to watch in 2024

Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns attacking midfielder Thapelo Maseko has been named in the list of top five African talents to look out for in 2024, which was released by FIFA.

ALSO READ: Bafana star Mokoena – Malema is my favourite president

This is after Maseko’s impressive performances for Bafana at the recently concluded Caf Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament in Ivory Coast.

Maseko didn’t get to finish the competition due to an injury but it seems he did enough to be seen as one of the promising youngsters for the future.

The Bafana midfielder pulled a hamstring in Bafana’s quarterfinal clash with Cape Verde after coming on as a substitute, which saw the South Africans winning the match 2-1 on penalties.

Maseko, who is 21 years old, was playing at the continental tournament for the first time. He scored for Bafana in the 4-0 win over Namibia during the group stages of the tournament and played five games before getting injured.

Making the prestigious list must be motivating for Maseko, who only got to be part Bafana squad just before the tournament started.

Other players who have been included on the list are Senegal’s Lamine Camara, Oumar Diakite of Ivory Coast, Nene Dorgeless from Mali and Bilal El Khannouss of Morocco.

The midfielder returned into the country from Ivory Coast with the rest of the Bafana squad on Wednesday, with the team getting welcomed back home by a massive crowd at the OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Ndlondlo not happy with contribution at Pirates, wants to improve

The team finished third at the Afcon after they edged the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 6-5 on penalties at Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny last Saturday.