Newspaper
Soccer Laduma
Every team wants to win
In Part Two of our interview with RB Leipzig's Managing Director for Sport, Marcel Schäfer, we go deeper, exploring how RB Leipzig uses artificial intelligence and data tools to scout players globally, the philosophy behind selling their biggest stars, the irreplaceable role of experienced players like Peter Gulacsi, and what made Leipzig confident enough to spend €20 million on an 18-year-old who was playing college football just a year before. Schäfer explains to Soccer Laduma's Delmain Faver how the Bundesliga side RB Leipzig uses data and human intelligence to scout the world and why selling your best players can actually be a strength.
8 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Mabasa had so much to offer
Orlando Pirates' decision to send Tshegofatso Mabasa on loan to Stellenbosch FC for the remainder of last season took a lot of people by surprise. When the Betway Premiership champions announced that Mabasa was one of the players let go, social media was abuzz. Soccer Laduma's Vuyani Joni sat down with Mabasa's agent, Gary Cassisa, to discuss the striker's situation, why and how he left Bucs, as well as his future prospects.
10+ min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
It’s do-or-die in the play-offs
Gaining promotion to the Betway Premiership is a big deal and we still can’t believe it.
5 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
I'm hurt and disappointed
One of South Africa’s outspoken characters, Morgan Mammila, is looking for a return to the dugout. He’s still on Chippa United’s books until the end of June but has been working from home since late last year, giving him an opportunity to take a bit of a rest. In this interview with Soccer Laduma’s Tiyani wa ka Mabasa, Mammila explains why he will come back stronger and also shares his return plan.
6 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Is Bafana's team manager a scapegoat?
When Bafana Bafana qualify for major tournaments, put together impressive unbeaten runs or produce memorable performances, the praise usually follows a familiar path.
7 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
In Touch With... KARABO SEROTO - BAROKA FC
Hola Karabo, thanks for your time. Hard luck on Baroka FC getting relegated from the Motsepe Foundation Championship. Before we start, how are you doing and how is the off-season?
3 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
The entire nation felt the pain
I won't lie to you, watching Bafana Bafana’s opening match against Mexico was tough.
4 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Football belongs to everyone
As women continue to carve out a greater presence in football, both on and off the field, initiatives such as Dove and FIFA’s Girl Talk campaign are helping to create new opportunities for the next generation. Actress, television personality and passionate football supporter Hope Mbhele recently joined the initiative, which aims to empower young girls to find their voices in the game. In this interview with Soccer Laduma’s Masebe Qina, Mbhele discusses representation, confidence, women’s football and the importance of girls feeling they belong in football spaces.
7 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Mbule breaks our hearts!
Sipho Mbule continues to break our hearts with his failure to reach his true potential, despite numerous good chances he has been afforded to do so.
5 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Not all hope is lost for Bafana Bafana
While South Africa’s 2-0 defeat to Mexico in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was a disappointing start, Hugo Broos’ men still have two matches remaining to rescue their campaign and potentially reach the Round of 32. The road ahead, however, is far from straightforward, as Soccer Laduma’s Junaid Benjamin explains.
5 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Everybody in England has high hopes
Dimitar Berbatov was known for his silky first touch and overall football brains. He has now taken to football punditry, and he’s in South Africa working for SuperSport covering the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Bulgarian is not new to South Africa, having been here as a player for the Vodacom Challenge with his former club Tottenham Hotspur. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup well underway, there was so much to talk about and Soccer Laduma’s Tshepang Mailwane got an opportunity to meet up with the former Manchester United striker at the SuperSport studios to discuss the showpiece currently happening in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
7 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Can Moloisane replace McCarthy?
After the news broke of the sale of centre-back Aden McCarthy from Kaizer Chiefs to FK Sabah for a reported R7 million, the acquisition of Thabo Moloisane made greater sense.
6 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Still In Touch With... SONGWE CHALWE (PART 1)
Former Kaizer Chiefs coach, the late Ted Dumitru, coached defender Felix Chalwe when he was in charge of the Zambian national team between 1980 and 1982, and when he had a chance to coach Felix’s son, Songwe, he did not hesitate. In January 2005, Songwe Chalwe moved to the PSL when he joined Amakhosi and scored his first goal on his debut against Jomo Cosmos. At Chiefs, Chalwe formed a partnership with fellow Zambian striker Collins Mbesuma, but unfortunately spent the first few months sidelined with an ankle injury he picked up on national duty. In June 2006, he joined Moroka Swallows and later played for Mpumalanga Black Aces and Golden Arrows before returning to Red Arrows in Zambia, where he began his career, eventually retiring and focusing on coaching.
3 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
A lot of people didn't know me!
Thabiso Lebitso has left Orlando Pirates after two and a half seasons with the club and he feels it’s the right time to move on. The Sebokeng-born defender has now secured a three-year contract, plus a two-year option, with Stellenbosch FC. In this interview with Soccer Laduma’s Tiyani wa ka Mabasa, Lebitso admits leaving Pirates was “emotional”, but says it’s for his own good.
8 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Retirement changes your life
Orlando Pirates’ historic treble-winning campaign will be remembered as one of the most successful seasons in the club’s proud history, and few people understand what such an achievement means better than former Buccaneers winger Sifiso Myeni. Having enjoyed success during his own time at the Soweto giants, Myeni watched with pride as Pirates ended their long wait for league glory while continuing their dominance in knockout competitions. While many have praised the impact of coach Abdeslam Ouaddou and the quality within the squad, Myeni believes the triumph was built on a combination of belief, resilience and a winning mentality that developed over several seasons. In this interview with Soccer Laduma’s Masebe Qina, the former Bafana Bafana international also reflects on the similarities between the current generation and some of the successful Pirates teams he played in, highlighting the fighting spirit that ultimately helped the club get over the line in the title race.
6 min |
June 18, 2026
Soccer Laduma
We knew there was a big fish waiting
Mamelodi Sundowns defenders Grant Kekana and Zuko Mdunyelwa sat down with Soccer Laduma’s Delmain Faver at the PUMA Grassroots Football Activation at Discovery Park in Sandton (Parkmore) to reflect on one of the most memorable seasons in the club’s history.
1 min |
June 11, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Bafana take on the world
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is almost here, and for the first time in 24 years, Bafana Bafana will grace football’s biggest stage. As the tournament approaches, Soccer Laduma’s Matthew Petersen previews what promises to be a historic edition - examining South Africa’s chances, dissecting their daunting Group A opponents, profiling the tournament favourites and Africa’s record 10-team contingent. Renowned coach Muhsin Ertugral lends his tactical acumen and experience to guide us through football’s greatest spectacle.
6 min |
June 11, 2026
Soccer Laduma
The ball fell into our court
Delmain Faver: Sundowns lost out on all the domestic cups, but you were able to redeem yourselves in the end and take the big fish. Would you say that winning the CAF Champions League made up for losing the league title?
3 min |
June 11, 2026
Soccer Laduma
It's a dark path that only you can walk
Delmain Faver: Zuko, congratulations on being crowned African champions for the second time. How does it feel?
4 min |
June 11, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Mbule gone! What next?
Orlando Pirates confirmed the departure of Sipho Mbule after just one season with the club. The midfielder leaves the Buccaneers under a bit of a dark cloud with many stories doing the rounds of social media platforms, as was the case with his departures from SuperSport United, Mamelodi Sundowns and Sekhukhune United, where he spent a season on loan from the Brazilians. The bad press around the 28-year-old midfielder, which comes from various media sources, is surely not good for his career, and this could see clubs being concerned about signing him or offering a long-term deal for his services. With the transfer window opening at the start of July, Soccer Laduma looks into some challenges he could face and where he could end up playing his football.
4 min |
June 11, 2026
Soccer Laduma
InTouchWith...
BONGINKOSI MAKUME - BAROKA FC (PART 2)
3 min |
June 11, 2026
Soccer Laduma
One thing that killed them
I started following Orbit College regularly when Orlando Pirates loaned Monapule Saleng to them.
5 min |
June 11, 2026
Soccer Laduma
We got to the top at the right time
Winning automatic promotion to the Betway Premiership for Kruger United was not only about what happened on the pitch. Off the pitch, the club put together a team of individuals who played a role in making sure that the team was running properly to achieve their goals this season. One of those individuals is Sporting Director Elasto Kapowezha, a man with tons of experience from working at various clubs since retiring from the game many years ago. Kruger won promotion and now Kapowezha has the big task of ensuring they are well prepared for the top-flight. Soccer Laduma’s Tshepang Mailwane met up with Kruger’s Sporting Director to talk about how the club managed to win promotion to the Betway Premiership and what the plans are for the upcoming campaign.
6 min |
June 11, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Still InTouch With...
ANDRIES SEBOLA (PART 3)
4 min |
June 11, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Kaizer Chiefs end of season Player Ratings
Kaizer Chiefs finished third in the season just past, climbing an impressive six places in the Betway Premiership table. 36 different players got minutes this term, although seven of those squad members did not appear enough times to earn a rating. Which players excelled and which performed below the standards required by Amakhosi? Soccer Laduma dishes out ratings for the 2025/26 campaign.
7 min |
June 11, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Let's go, Bafana Bafana!
Coach Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana will be squaring off against Mexico tonight in what will be a repeat of the 2010 FIFA World Cup opener, when Bafana played 1-1 at home to Mexico in a match that every South African including the world will never forget.
5 min |
June 11, 2026
Soccer Laduma
What does that tell you about us, as a country?
I’m going to say this in Zulu, nikhe nezwa kuthiwa kuningi? Hey kuningi maan and any non-Zulu speaking reader must ask for a translation to understand what I mean. It is crunch time, and the moment we’ve all been waiting for, patiently, has finally arrived. I am greeting you guys in Spanish, Ola as I’m writing this column all the way from Mexico and wow! I know we’ve been waiting for this, but it is difficult to absorb and not get nervous about the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. What a vibe and a well-organized event so far!
6 min |
June 11, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Steven outclassed Pirates
In 2022, former Bafana Bafana striker Benni McCarthy sent shockwaves through social media when he declared former U20 international Anthony Christian the biggest waste of talent he’d ever witnessed. The story of “Money Eyes” Christian is a story of exceptional talent, harsh realities, and the environmental forces that swallowed a generational genius before the world could know his name. In the second part of Soccer Laduma’s interview conducted by Delmain Faver, Christian, the Newclare-born former playmaker, opens up about his biggest regret and what made McCarthy and Steven Pienaar great as players.
3 min |
June 11, 2026
Soccer Laduma
My life just went dark (Part I)
In one of South African football’s most heartbreaking tales of unfulfilled potential, Anthony “Money Eyes” Christian sits down with Soccer Laduma’s Delmain Faver to discuss his journey from prodigious talent to cautionary tale. Growing up in Westbury and Newclare as the only son among six sisters, Christian was hailed by Benni McCarthy as the biggest unrealised talent in South African football. Under the guidance of coaches like Trott Moloto and Shakes Mashaba, Christian dazzled in youth football, winning the COSAFA U17 tournament and earning praise from Liverpool legend Steve McManaman. But addiction derailed a career that promised greatness akin to Ronaldinho’s. Now focused on guiding the next generation, Christian reflects candidly, in the first part of our interview, on the choices that cost him everything, the Olympic squad he never joined, and the second chance God has given him to make a difference.
5 min |
June 04, 2026
Soccer Laduma
Was that even necessary?
Coach Hugo Broos’ final Bafana Bafana squad heading to the FIFA World Cup announcement drew a lot of criticism, and most of it rightfully so, because of the way everything was handled.
5 min |