By Michael Madyira
Mamelodi Sundowns defender Mothobi Mvala is set to come up against Brazil superstar Neymar during the Tshwane giants’ upcoming pre-season tour of Austria.
Masandawana will travel to Europe for the second successive year as they prepare for the 2024-25 season.
Neymar’s Saudi Pro League team, Al Hilal, are one of their opponents, and the two sides will clash on 26 July.
If Mvala and Neymar play in that match, it will be the second time they cross paths after their first meeting at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Back then, Mvala was a defensive midfielder but still had to deal with an attacking combination of Neymar and Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus as South Africa’s Under-23 team frustrated Brazil to a 0-0 draw.
“I was prepared for the game,” Mvala recalls about the match played at Arena BRB Mané Garrincha.
“In the heat of the moment, you don’t think about names; you simply want to showcase your skills. However, playing against players like Neymar provides a benchmark to assess your competitiveness, given his reputation as a tricky opponent. Despite the challenge, we performed admirably, holding them to a draw.”
It was a match in which Mvala was red-carded on 59 minutes, leaving South Africa needing to work harder due to their numerical disadvantage against their much-fancied hosts.
Other Sundowns players who faced Neymar that evening were Aubrey Modiba and Rivaldo Coetzee.
Interestingly, Mvala was then a National First Division player turning out for Highlands Park but now returns to meet Neymar as a full international player who is a defensive stalwart for Bafana Bafana.
Pictured above: Mamelodi Sundowns defender Mothobi Mvala.
Source: Mamelodi Sundowns
