Former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates coach Muhsin Ertugral has argued that moving South Africans to the top European leagues would be easier said than done.
Bafana Bafana striker Lyle Foster, who’s with English Premier League side Burnley, is the only South African in Europe’s top five leagues: the Premier League, Italian Serie A, Spanish La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga and the French Ligue 1.
Over the months, Bafana Bafana mentor Hugo Broos has spoken highly of his players as they went on to qualify for the FIFA 2026 World Cup but insisted, in the same breath, that they should move to the top leagues in Europe to take their game to the next level.
Ertugral, who coached in South Africa for many years, reckons that SA players lack certain attributes to make it in the big leagues.
“There is much noise about the topic. Why are there not more SA players playing in top leagues around the world?
“For me it’s the wrong question. Football is not fair. It never was. The international game is not a talent contest; it has become an economy,” he said.
“Scouts can find anyone. Anywhere on this planet, they won’t search randomly; they follow pipelines, relationships, and most importantly the return on investment of their clubs and investors. Modern football is intensity and tactical discipline. PSL still celebrates rhythm, flow, and individual expression.
“Technically, (SA) players are good. But when they go to Europe, they struggle to translate their talent into tempo. For me it is a football language problem. It definitely needs export architecture, a football philosophy that will bridge PSL success with international demand,” continued Ertugral.
“There is, for me, by far too much lip service and naivety. The stakeholders need to see it not as an endpoint; it’s a path.
“Until all understand to teach players that comfort is an enemy of their own growth, and most importantly, until the development models prioritise mental resilience over short-term rewards, these talents will definitely continue to shine locally and not in a global market.”
