Mokwena Rhulani, coach of MC Alger during the CAF Champions League 2025/26 Preliminary Round 2nd Leg match between MC Alger and FC Fassell at the Ali Ammar Stadium in Algiers, Algeria on 27 September 2025 ©Djaffar Ladjal/BackpagePix
Sunday Jan 18, 2026. 13:00
Legendary African coach Pitso Mosimane has reacted to his former assistant, Rhulani Mokwena’s success with MC Alger in North Africa.
Mokwena masterminded Alger’s 1-0 win over their fierce rivals, USM Alger, at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers on Saturday night and they were crowned 2025 Algerian Super Cup champions.
It is the South African tactician’s first trophy outside his home country and his compatriot, Mosimane, has lauded the 39-year-old having worked together at Mamelodi Sundowns.
“When I recruited him from our U19 team to be my assistant at the Senior Team, one journalist asked me to justify my decision. I only told him that, with time, Rulani will be better than me,” Mosimane, who is a three-time CAF Champions League-winning coach, said on his social media page.
“There was silence in that media room and few people doubted (even within the team ) and did not understand and foresee all that I see. The worst part was again justifying my decision to recruit him back into my technical team after Chippa United fired him.
“I could not suppress that talent that few knew about it. End of the story, you can track his journey up to date! One day he will be back in SA to share and support the experience that he is currently gathering.”
Mokwena will now be looking to complete a quareble as Alger are placed at the top of the Algerian Ligue 1 standings, while competing in the CAF Champions League group stage and set to feature in the Algerian Cup quarter-finals.