Mabena’s biggest problem… and how to fix it
by Sipho Mlotha · KickOffFormer Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Bennet Mnguni has shared what the club’s teenage sensation Siyabonga Mabena should do to avoid struggling to get into the first team.
“The 19-year-old has performed miracles each time he has played for the Sundowns Diski Challenge team.
Once again, Mabena was a standout performer and a key catalyst in the opening match of the DStv Diski Challenge 2026/2027 season, scoring a brace against Durban City FC. Mnguni says Mabena looks scared when given a chance in the first team.
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“You might be good but still go unnoticed by some people; you may even end up not making it to the semi-professional football stage,” Mnguni tells KICK OFF.
“Mabena, that boy is very good. It’s just that his biggest stumbling block is ‘stage fright’. He just needs somebody he can talk to regarding that.
“He is a good player, and he's technically sound. He is the type of player we prefer to watch in the first team. He is the kind of player we need at Sundowns. We need somebody who will talk to him and make him realise that the DDC is the same as the PSL. It's still football.
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“In the DDC, Mabena is not restricting himself; he is doing things constructively. But when given a chance in the first team, all he does is pass, pass, pass the ball to his teammates. He chooses to be safe. He is not going forward.
“If Mabena can do what he does in the DDC in the PSL, he will not miss a single game. His problem is the lack of confidence. He needs to tell himself that he can do better. Just tell yourself, I can do better. He must stop worrying about the crowd.”