26C5RW Bafana Bafana attacker Thapelo Maseko.
This is the remarkable story of Thapelo Maseko. The young footballer's winning goal led South Africa to its first-ever knockout stage in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, creating a historic moment for Bafana Bafana
His story is not only about football but also about discipline, family and a steady rise from Sebokeng in the Vaal.
Raised in Eatonside in Sebokeng, the 22-year-old winger grew up in a home where his father worked as a truck driver and sacrificed heavily to support his early football development in the Vaal.
Thapelo Maseko is the grounded South African winger who has become a central figure in Bafana Bafana’s historic run to the Fifa World Cup knockout stage.
