Mzantsi’s Top Five Players With Most 2025/26 Games
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Mzantsi’s Top Five Players With Most 2025/26 Games
Aug 14, 2026 – 03:27 pm
By Thato Bosoga
After a punishing 2025/26 season that culminated with Bafana Bafana’s participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, KickOff shines the spotlight on the top five South African players who racked up the most appearances for both club and country.
The demands on Bafana’s stars have never been higher, with Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou already calling for more from his international players in terms of application — a clear indication that the toll of a marathon season is being felt.
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Pirates’ Tshepang Moremi rounds off the top five after featuring in a combined 50 matches for The Buccaneers and Bafana Bafana. Moremi was a key figure in Pirates’ historic domestic treble, while also chipping in with 11 international appearances.
Mamelodi Sundowns midfield engine Teboho Mokoena clocked 55 matches for club and country, underlining his importance to both Masandawana and the national team. ‘Tebza’ remains one of the first names on the teamsheet wherever he plays.
Level with Mokoena on 55 appearances is Aubrey Modiba, who remarkably achieved the feat despite shrugging off an injury that threatened to keep him out of the Bafana World Cup squad. The versatile full-back missed Sundowns’ two-legged CAF Champions League semi-final victories over Esperance and the second-leg final against AS FAR Rabat, yet still featured heavily for club and country.
Orlando Pirates’ Oswin Appollis played the most matches of any Bucs player last season, featuring in a staggering 59 games for club and country. The winger also played the most international games (16) of any South African player, spanning Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, tournament games, World Cup qualifiers and World Cup matches.
Topping the list is Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, who played a remarkable 60 matches — one more than Appollis. ‘Ronza’ has been ever-present for club and country, with his number one position undisputed at both levels.
However, the shot-stopper came under criticism towards the end of last season after uncharacteristically conceding a high number of goals, and there are growing suggestions from some quarters that Williams needs a rest, having already conceded four goals in Masandawana’s first two matches of the 2026/27 campaign.
With the new season already underway, the conversation around player workload management is likely to intensify. These five players carried the heaviest burden in South African football last season, and how their respective clubs manage their recovery and rotation could prove decisive in the race for honours.