Pitso Mosimane Explains Why Thabang Matuludi Was Called Up Before Playing This Season

Thabang Matuludi’s return to the Bafana Bafana setup raised questions after the defender was called up despite having played no official minutes for Mamelodi Sundowns this season. The 28-year-old had been unable to feature for former club Polokwane City because of transfer-related issues, leaving his match fitness and readiness under scrutiny. His situation changed on Saturday when he finally made his Sundowns debut in the African-Asian-Pacific Cup. Matuludi played 85 minutes before being replaced, giving him valuable competitive action ahead of his involvement with the national team. Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane has now explained why he was confident enough to select the defender before that match had taken place.

Mosimane revealed that Matuludi had been monitored closely despite his lack of official minutes at the start of the campaign. According to the coach, the defender had been training throughout pre-season and had also featured in several friendly matches. That meant his lack of competitive appearances did not tell the complete story when the national team technical staff assessed his readiness. Mosimane also made it clear that the situation surrounding Matuludi’s lack of club appearances was not something the national team should interfere with. He stressed that players belong to their clubs and that national team coaches must respect the decisions made by coaches and clubs at domestic level.

“I knew somewhere somehow somebody was going to say why are you picking a player who is not playing,” Mosimane said while explaining the decision. He pointed out that he had watched Matuludi and was aware that the defender had continued working during the pre-season period. The Bafana coach also noted that Matuludi had played friendly matches, which gave the technical team an opportunity to assess him despite his absence from official fixtures. From Mosimane’s perspective, a player should not automatically be overlooked simply because circumstances at club level have prevented him from playing competitive football. He believes national team selection should take into account a player’s broader preparation, previous performances and qualities rather than relying only on the number of official minutes accumulated in the opening weeks of a season.

Mosimane was also direct about the responsibility that comes with making decisions as a national team coach. He acknowledged that coaches are often questioned when their selections appear unusual before the players have had an opportunity to prove the decision on the pitch. He explained that football supporters and analysts can only judge a selection properly after seeing the outcome, while coaches have to make their decisions based on research and information available to them beforehand. Mosimane insisted that Matuludi was not selected without careful consideration or simply because the coaching staff wanted to include him. He said he had been researching and monitoring the defender long before officially taking charge of Bafana Bafana.

The coach also highlighted Matuludi’s previous experience with the national team as an important part of the decision. Matuludi had already been involved with Bafana Bafana and was part of the squad at the World Cup, meaning he was not an entirely unknown player to the national setup. Mosimane credited the previous national team coach for helping Matuludi establish himself within the squad and suggested that his existing international experience should also be considered when assessing his credentials. This history gave the current technical team more information about the player than simply looking at his club appearances this season. It also meant that his call-up could be viewed in the context of his development and previous involvement at international level.

Matuludi then provided an early response to the selection by featuring for Sundowns in the African-Asian-Pacific Cup on Saturday. He lasted 85 minutes in his first competitive appearance for the club, giving him an important opportunity to regain match sharpness after a difficult period. His performance also offered a practical indication of the level he can bring after spending much of the early season waiting for his club situation to be resolved. Mosimane described the performance as decent and said it showed that Matuludi is a quality player who now needs to fight for his position. The match therefore arrived at an important moment for the defender as he looks to establish himself at Sundowns while also competing for a place in the Bafana Bafana team.

The competition for the right-back position is also significant, with Mosimane pointing to Kamogelo Sebelebele as another player capable of influencing matches from that side of the pitch. Sebelebele has attracted attention for his attacking contribution, particularly his ability to make overlapping runs and enter the final third. Matuludi therefore cannot assume that his international experience automatically guarantees him a starting position. Instead, his return to competitive football gives him an opportunity to build his case through performances for Sundowns and Bafana Bafana. The competition could ultimately give Mosimane more options in an area where attacking and defensive responsibilities need to be balanced.

For Matuludi, the immediate priority is now to turn his long-awaited return to competitive football into regular involvement for Sundowns. His selection for Bafana Bafana shows that the national team technical staff continued to monitor him even while he was unable to play official matches for his club. His 85-minute appearance against Sundowns’ opponents provided the first opportunity to demonstrate that the work done during pre-season had kept him prepared for competitive football. The defender will now have to maintain that level while competing with other players for both club and national team opportunities. Mosimane’s explanation also underlines that international selection can sometimes be based on a much wider assessment than a player’s recent match statistics.

Matuludi’s situation ultimately demonstrates why national team selection can involve information that is not always visible through official match records. Although he had not played an official match before his Bafana Bafana call-up, Mosimane had been tracking his training, pre-season friendly appearances, previous international experience and overall development. His first competitive appearance for Sundowns has now given him another opportunity to support that assessment on the field. The defender still has to compete for his place, particularly with players such as Sebelebele also pushing for opportunities, but he has already received a strong indication that the national team coach believes in his ability. With regular football now the next objective, Matuludi will have the chance to show why Mosimane was prepared to select him before he had officially returned to action.