South African football great Mlungisi "Professor" Ngubane has advised the South African Football Association not to underestimate the potential of a Brazilian player Lucas Ribeiro Costa representing Bafana Bafana.
The 26-year-old second striker has been impressive since signing Mamelodi Sundowns in July 2023.
This season, Ribeiro has scored a total of 15 goals across all competitions and is currently the league's top scorer with 12 goals.
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"This boy is too good; he is a true Brazilian, and at the moment, we don't have a player like him in South Africa," Ngubane tells KickOff.
"He's strong, skilled with the ball, and has the right attitude; he looks disciplined.
"We were fortunate not to have used Gaston Sirino in our Bafana Bafana squad. I'm very disappointed with him; he undermines our football with his behavior. However, Ribeiro respects the laws of the game and genuinely wants to play football.
"As much as we have talent in this country, why can't we enhance what we already have? It is not against the rules; FIFA allows it. If big World Cup-winning countries can do it, then why can't we? It's not a disgrace; he will add quality to our team. If he can add value, then why are we not including him in our Bafana Bafana future plans? He is already accustomed to playing alongside Bafana Bafana players at Sundowns.
"Rayners, Mokoena, and others understand him, and he understands them.
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"In contrast, Sirino is a different case; he wants things to happen his way. He talks to the referees even when he hasn't committed a foul. His lack of discipline has cost Chiefs a lot this season. For instance, he was unavailable against Sundowns because of his behavior.
"However, the goals Ribeiro scores say a lot about his football ability. The last players to score such goals in South Africa were Jomo Sono and me."