Kaapenaar Mihlali Mayambela is determined to step out of his brother Mark Mayambela’s shadow as Bafana Bafana gear up their Afcon Group K qualifier double header against Liberia.
The 26-year-old scored on his South Africa international debut in a friendly against Sierra Leone last September and is aiming for more ahead of on Friday night’s home leg at Orlando Stadium, before heading to Monrovia for Tuesday’s clash.
By helping Bafana win those two games and book a place in Cote d’Ivoire next year, he hopes to become his own man after being compared to his cult hero sibling, who starred for the likes of Ajax Cape Town and Cape Town City.
Our final training session @FnbStadium before we move over to @OrlandoStadium tomorrow. #BafanaPride #AFCON2023Qualifiers pic.twitter.com/e4nUBDVjOk
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) March 22, 2023
The Aris Limassol forward tells the Safa media team: “It was hard in the beginning because I was compared to my brother Mark all the time, and so I almost stopped playing football.
“I left South Africa at the age of 18 daring to be different, to be my own man, my own player and for the comparison to stop, and it worked, luckily for me.”
The Cyprus-based star will be competing with the likes of Percy Tau and Monnapule Saleng for the right-wing position as SA look to seal
but he reckons the competition just brings out the best in him.
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) March 22, 2023
He adds: “You just play your own game. They are all unbelievable football players. So it’s easier to adapt and showcase your talents.
The most important thing is to leave it all out on the pitch and to fight for one another.
If we do that as a group, we’ll grow as a team.”