Lebone Seema Earns Bafana Bafana Call-Up for AFCON Qualifiers
Lebone Seema’s rise at Orlando Pirates has taken its next decisive step, with the defender earning a place in Pitso Mosimane’s final Bafana Bafana squad for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers.
His form left little room for debate. On Thursday night at Orlando Stadium, Seema not only marshalled the backline in a 2-0 win over Durban City, he also found the back of the net. As the Buccaneers walked off with another clean sheet, head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou made it clear this national call-up was no accident.
“First of all, I really congratulate him and all the other members of the team who have been called to the national team,” Ouaddou said, before turning his attention to Mosimane. “I thank as well Pitso to call him. It means that he was following his work since last season. He's the future.”
For Ouaddou, this is not a surprise story. It is the result of deliberate, sometimes uncomfortable work.
The Moroccan coach has driven Seema hard since arriving at Mayfair. He speaks about mentality before talent, about attitude before acclaim. “I'm not surprised he's somebody that has the good mentality, professional, coachable,” he explained. “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.”
That relationship has not always been gentle.
“He starts to know me now. Sometimes I can be hard with him,” Ouaddou admitted. “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 finer details have become the foundation of Seema’s game. His range of passing, his composure in tight spaces, his readiness for physical battles – all sharpened with the clear intention of preparing him for nights beyond club football.
Now those nights are here.
Seema heads into the Bafana camp as part of a new wave under Mosimane, with South Africa facing crucial AFCON qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea. Within that context, the Pirates defender is viewed as more than just another squad option. His versatility and comfort on the ball mark him as a potential long-term pillar in the national team’s defensive line.
Ouaddou believes that Seema’s biggest strength is his ability to absorb information and translate it into performances. That trait, he insists, will be vital as the youngster steps into Mosimane’s demanding environment.
“But of course, like you said, he has a lot of matches of progression,” the coach said. “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.”
There will be no easing off at Pirates while the praise rolls in. Ouaddou has promised to keep the standards high at Mayfair, determined that the defender’s first taste of international football does not turn into a comfort zone.
The timing could hardly be better. The international break hands Seema the ideal stage to test himself against the best in South African football and beyond, to prove that his club form can travel.
“He's the future of South Africa. We have such talent in that position in South Africa,” Ouaddou concluded. “I hope this call will give him confidence to continue to work, to grow. Again, thanks to Pitso to see his qualities.”
Now it is over to Seema, and to the AFCON qualifiers, to show just how far that potential can stretch.
