Lebohang Mokoena revealed how Orlando Pirates blocked his potential move to Europe during the early stages of his career.
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The story
Former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns star, Lebohang Mokoena opened up about his failed move to Portuguese giants, SL Benfica after being scouted at the Gold Cup.
"Cheeseboy" as he's affectionately known, made a bombshell revelation about how a potential move to the Primeira Liga didn't materialise for him.
While speaking on the SoccerBeatZA podcast with Soccer Laduma founder, Peter du Toit, Cape Town Spurs midfielder Michael Morton and Bafana Bafana legend, Tsepo Masilela, Mokoena made an interesting revelation about how Dr Irvin Khoza block a move for him to join Benfica.
"I would have grown as a player," said Cheeseboy, adding: "I've buried some of it. I guess it's part of life, something that I've learnt. Maybe in my next life, I will make a move overseas," he joked.
Mokoena went on to share the backstory of how his potential transfer to Portugal was blocked:
"I think it was 2005 playing for Bafana Bafana in the Gold Cup. We were actually playing against Mexico and we won the match 2-1 and I had a good game that day and I was named the man of the match in that game.
"So after the match one of the agents from Portugal, Benfica, popped up and said that we are very interested in you so what we are going to require from you is that you stay behind after this tournament so we will do all the negotiations.
"He said you are a very young player and we would be excited to have you in our team. So they took that information to the late Ntate Screamer Tshabalala, to tell him that the jersey number nine is not going back. He is coming with us," he explained.
"Then I got back to the hotel and I told Gift Leremi who was my roommate, that there was an opportunity here and if I played well in the next game I was going to live my dream now, I am moving overseas.
"Then after some moments, Bra Screamer knocked at my door and said there was an urgent call from the chairman back in South Africa saying that I needed to fly back tomorrow to come and play the Vodacom Challenge," explained the ex-Bafana winger.
"I was so devastated, I did not want to go and I cried on my flight, asking myself why I was going back for a Vodacom Challenge when there is so much opportunity here. But I guess Pirates did not want to lose me then, but I lost an opportunity myself. But I have buried it now because it is part of life," concluded Mokoena.
Read: Tshabalala Reflects On His Bafana Breakthrough In '06
Here's what Cheeseboy had to say about his late friend Gift Leremi, describing the type of player and person he was:
