Mabasa has never done things the easy way. Long before he was lifting trophies with Orlando Pirates, the striker was captaining Grey College, putting in performances that caught the eye of coaches Ernst Middendorp and Molefi Ntseki, who would go on to shape the early stages of his career.
Middendorp gave Mabasa his professional debut at Bloemfontein Celtic in 2014. Five years later, he signed for the club he’d supported growing up, Orlando Pirates, embarking on a spell that would see him claim the Betway Premiership Golden Boot in 2023/24 and come within touching distance of the club’s all-time scoring record.
READ: Every trophy, award and record from Messi’s Argentina career
Along the way, he earned his first call-up to Bafana Bafana, becoming the first Grey College old boy in the professional era to represent South Africa.
Now, after a productive loan at Stellenbosch and a move to Moroccan giants Maghreb Fès, Mabasa is chasing a new chapter, and doing it in Under Armour’s latest boot, having partnered with the brand since 2025.
The Magnetico Elite 6 is built around a simple idea: engineered for control, built to shape the game.
At the heart of the boot is Under Armour’s Liquid Clone upper, designed to mould to the natural contours of the foot for a customised fit and a sharper first touch, paired with the brand’s new Reflex Cushion System, a lightweight chassis combined with supercritical foam that keeps players connected to the ball without sacrificing comfort over 90 minutes.
Watch: All 125 of Lionel Messi’s Argentina goals
For a player like Mabasa, whose game is built on box intelligence, a lethal left foot and composure in front of goal, that combination of touch makes the difference.
It’s the same philosophy that’s already won the Magnetico line a following among some of Europe’s top talent, including Manchester City’s Elliot Anderson and Real Madrid’s Antonio Rüdiger.
It arrives at a moment when football conversation everywhere is shaped by this year’s FIFA World Cup, and the same boot technology on show at the tournament is now available to South African players at every level, proof that home-grown talent has access to the same tools as the game’s biggest names.
AFRICA PICKS: Football tips and predictions
Whether it’s at Maghreb Fès or wherever his career takes him next, Mabasa’s message is simple: the boots on his feet need to work as hard as he does. With the Magnetico Elite 6, Under Armour have built exactly that.
Photo: Tshegofatso Mabasa/Under Armour
