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Mokoena: Rivaldo future captain

Cape Town - Former Bafana Bafana skipper Aaron Mokoena has backed Ajax Cape Town defender Rivaldo Coetzee to become a future national team captain.

Coetzee, now 18, broke Mokoena's 15-year record as the youngest capped Bafana player when he made his debut against the Congo last month as a 17-year-old.

The Kakamas-born central defender now has two caps to his name, having acquitted himself well in the two African Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Congo.

Former Portsmouth defender Mokoena was not only impressed with the youngster’s displays, but also feels he could go on to be a future captain of the national side.

"I see the next Bafana captain in him," Mokoena told the Sowetan. "He is a player that is never flustered and I see a bright future for him.

"He managed to gel well with the seniors and quickly. In his last game against Congo he was playing at left centre-half and he's a right-footed player. For the mere fact that he was able to play that well where most defenders would feel uncomfortable showed that this boy is a future Bafana captain to me.

"I remember early in my Bafana career and how assuring it was to start alongside Lucas [Radebe] and Mark Fish. I was nervous for Rivaldo during his first game because I could relate with the feeling he had but watching him play, he didn't look nervous at all."
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