Lebone Seema Earns Bafana Bafana Call-Up for AFCON Qualifiers

Lebone Seema’s rise at Orlando Pirates has taken another sharp upward turn, with the defender earning a place in Pitso Mosimane’s final Bafana Bafana squad for the looming AFCON qualifiers.

His latest statement came on Thursday night at Orlando Stadium. Pirates beat Durban City 2-0, and Seema did more than just marshal the backline – he found the net as well. It was the kind of all-round display that leaves a mark on selectors and underlines why his name is now inked into the national team sheet.

Ouaddou’s tough love pays off

After the final whistle, Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou made no attempt to hide his pride.

"First of all, I really congratulate him and all the other members of the team who have been called to the national team," he said, before turning his gratitude towards the Bafana boss. "I thank as well Pitso [Mosimane] to call him. It means that he was following his work since last season."

Then came the line that summed up how the Pirates camp views their young defender.

"He's the future,’’ Ouaddou said.

This call-up did not catch the Moroccan coach off guard. He has seen, up close, the mentality that has driven Seema from promising youngster to international prospect.

"But I'm not surprised he's somebody that has the good mentality, professional, coachable," Ouaddou explained. For him, those traits matter as much as any tackle or interception. "It's very important for me because to improve, you need to be coachable and you need to be able to understand and to listen."

The relationship has not always been comfortable. Ouaddou admitted he has pushed Seema hard, sometimes to the edge.

"He starts to know me now. Sometimes I can be hard with him," he said. "Last season, I was really, really hard with him. But for his good, for his performance, we spoke a lot, we worked a lot about the quality of his passes, the alternation of short passes, long passes, the duels."

Those details have shaped the defender now stepping into the international arena. The work on his distribution, his decision-making under pressure, and his physical contests has turned Seema into more than just another body in the back four. He is a modern defender, comfortable on the ball and adaptable across the line.

From Mayfair to Mosimane’s plans

Ouaddou believes that same ability to absorb information will serve Seema well when he joins Mosimane’s camp.

Ouaddou knows there is still a long road ahead. "But of course, like you said, he has a lot of matches of progression," he noted. Yet the mood around Mayfair is unmistakably upbeat. "I'm really, really happy. Our technical staff and the club are very happy about this call. I hope he's going to continue and to bring us this experience as well from the national team.”

South Africa’s upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea carry weight. They are not just fixtures on a calendar; they are checkpoints in a rebuilding phase under Mosimane. In that context, Seema stands as one of the new standard-bearers – a fresh face entrusted with the long-term stability of the national backline.

His versatility and comfort in possession make him an attractive option for Bafana Bafana’s defensive structure. He can defend his box, but he can also start attacks, a blend that modern international football demands.

Back at Pirates, any fears of complacency are quickly dismissed. Ouaddou has already made it clear the standards will not soften just because a national call-up has arrived. The pressure will stay high at Mayfair, the demands unrelenting.

The international break now offers Seema a different kind of test: a chance to measure himself against the best in South African football, to carry the habits forged at club level into a higher arena.

"He's the future of South Africa. We have such talent in that position in South Africa. I hope this call will give him confidence to continue to work, to grow. Again, thanks to Pitso to see his qualities," Ouaddou concluded.

The stage is set. The question now is how far, and how fast, Lebone Seema can run with it.