Evidence Makgopa hailed as South Africa’s best striker by Baroka chairman Khurishi Mphahlele

Baroka FC chairman Khurishi Mphahlele says Evidence Makgopa is the most accomplished player produced by the club and believes the forward is currently the best striker in South Africa.

Makgopa is one of several players to have made a name for himself after leaving Baroka, but Mphahlele says the striker’s appearance at the FIFA World Cup places him above the club’s other graduates in terms of achievement.

Former Baroka goalkeeper Oscar Masuluke is another notable success story. Masuluke was nominated for the Puskas Award in 2017 after scoring a remarkable late goal, but Mphahlele believes representing a country at football’s biggest international tournament represents a greater accomplishment.

“Players differ in qualities, but Evidence Makgopa is the one player who has achieved a lot since leaving Baroka,” Mphahlele tells KickOff.

The chairman argues that the status of the World Cup makes Makgopa’s achievement particularly significant, comparing it with the importance of the Soweto Derby in South African football.

“He has done extremely well when it comes to achievements. The World Cup is the biggest tournament on earth. All the other things are below the World Cup.

“If you are a footballer and you have never played in the World Cup, it’s like being a player in South Africa who has never played in the Soweto Derby. It’s the biggest fixture in South Africa.

“So playing in the World Cup is the biggest achievement in football. So Makgopa is on top of the list if we’re talking former Baroka players who have gone on to achieve big.

Makgopa was part of the South Africa squad at the FIFA World Cup, an accomplishment Mphahlele considers the clearest measure of the player’s standing among those who previously represented Baroka.

The chairman also offered a wider assessment of Makgopa’s contribution as a forward. In his view, judging a striker solely by the number of goals scored gives an incomplete picture of the position.

“Makgopa is a top striker in the country.

“No one is better than him currently. To be the best striker, you don’t just need to score goals; you can be the best striker simply by making assists to your teammates, by being a ballplayer, and you must defend as well,” he adds.

Mphahlele’s comments place Makgopa above the other players developed by Baroka, including Masuluke, when achievements after leaving the club are taken into account.

While the chairman recognises that footballers possess different qualities, he says Makgopa’s combination of international experience, attacking contribution and all-round work makes him the outstanding candidate. In particular, he points to the forward’s involvement in creating goals for team-mates, his ability to contribute in possession and his defensive responsibilities as reasons for rating him so highly.

For Mphahlele, however, the decisive factor remains Makgopa’s participation in the FIFA World Cup. He regards that achievement as football’s highest level and says it ensures Makgopa sits at the top of Baroka’s list of players who have gone on to succeed elsewhere.