Mailula: I was not even surprised…
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Cassius Mailula has made his way back to the Bafana Bafana following his return to Mamelodi Sundowns.
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Mailula: I was not even surprised…
Sep 22, 2026 – 09:45 am
By KO Reporter
Mamelodi Sundowns forward Cassius Mailula insists he has always been standing with assurance about having the qualities to be in the Bafana Bafana squad.
Mailula is back in the senior national team three-and-a-half years since he won both his caps.
His return has coincided with Pitso Mosimane getting back into the Bafana job as the 2027 AFCON qualifiers start.
READ | JUST IN: Mosimane makes two more technical team additions
“I have always believed that I belong to the national team because of the quality that I have,” maintains Mailula who has been in Canada, Morocco, and Belgium in recent years.
“Even with the previous coach (Hugo Broos) I was called up but unfortunately things didn’t work out the way I wanted to because I was not playing at my club. And also, it shows that it doesn’t matter who you are, you need to play at club level to earn a call up.
“So, for me now coming back home to South Africa to start playing more games gave me a lot of confidence that if you do well especially knowing that I’m playing for a big club and do well you have a chance to come back to the national team.
His return marks a full-circle moment, co-inciding with the appointment of his former coach Pitso Mosimane, who he knew since being a teenager.
“The coach knows me, he saw me when I was 16 years old and that made me so happy.
“So, I was not even surprised because I know that he believes in me.
“It is just to continue doing the same things, work hard and having the right attitude.
“I know that he (Mosimane) demands a lot from his players so now is just to continue doing what I know he wants from me.
READ | Sundowns stretch trophy dominance over Chiefs and Pirates
“I think what helped me a lot to mature is what I went through.
“I know the pain of not being able to be chosen so now I’m so grateful that I’m chosen to represent my country.
“It is just for me to enjoy this moment and embrace it, to feel free, to be happy to play football again, and just to represent him because when I do well, he also does well,” says Mailula.