Mbekezeli Mbokazi earns a staggering R1.3m to R1.5m monthly at Chicago Fire, surpassing top South African players and even top earners in Major League Soccer, despite criticism from Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos. Picture: Jeff Dean/Getty Images/AFP
Image: Jeff Dean/Getty Images/AFP
As the average starting salary of a 20-year-old in South Africa remains between R10,000 and R15,000, it’s quite staggering to learn just how much Mbekezeli Mbokazi is making at his club, Chicago Fire, in the USA.
Of course, it’s not a totally fair comparison as footballers outside of South Africa generally earn ridiculous sums of money.
Having joined in January from Orlando Pirates, the star defender signed a four-year deal worth around R50 million. Though his contract runs through 2029, Mbokazi will also have the option to extend the deal for another season.
As for his monthly salary, according to reports, it’s between R1.3m and R1.5m per month.
That means his annual pay will be between R15,6m and R18m.
While it also may appear that’s just because he earns US dollars, the youngster who turns 21 in September is said to be above the top earners in the Major League Soccer.
When Mbokazi joined Chicago Fire, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos did not hide his disapproval of the move and took aim at the player’s agent, Basia Michaels, of QT Sports.
Broos said: “But I know what happened. A woman who is his agent and thinks she knows football is doing what many agents are doing and thinking ‘how much can I get.”
The move abroad is certainly a financially sound one for Mbokazi, as the highest earner in the Betway Premiership back home in South Africa is believed to be Mamelodi Sundowns keeper Ronwen Williams, who takes home around R500k per month.