The 20-year-old Bafana Bafana defender is currently among the five leading central defenders for the MLS All-Star Game, following a dominant display in Chicago Fire’s 2-0 away win over CF Montreal on Matchday 14.
“South African international centre back Mbekezeli Mbokazi was dominant in Chicago Fire’s 2-0 win at CF Montreal,” MLS said in naming him to the Team of the Matchday starting lineup – his second such recognition this season after a bench selection on Matchday 7 for a heroic goal-line save.
Since joining Chicago Fire from Orlando Pirates at the start of the year, Mbokazi has made 13 appearances across all competitions, contributing to six clean sheets. He has featured in 11 of the Fire’s 13 league games under Gregg Berhalter, helping establish the club as one of the more defensively solid sides in the Eastern Conference.
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Who’s punching their ticket to the MLS All-Star Game? 👀
Only three more days remaining to cast your vote: https://t.co/Wk1h2KGpFP pic.twitter.com/yjbd4YQKyj
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 18, 2026
His inclusion in the All-Star vote places him alongside notable names including Vancouver Whitecaps duo Tristan Blackmon and Mathias Laborda, Chicago teammate Hugo Cuypers, LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and the competition’s two biggest stars – Lionel Messi and Heung-Min Son.
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Voting closes on 21 May, with the fan-voted XI forming part of a 26-man MLS All-Star roster that will face the LIGA MX All-Stars on 29 July at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Goalkeeper Chris Brady and substitute Philip Zinckernagel also earned Team of the Matchday recognition for Chicago, but it is Mbokazi who is generating the most attention – not just in Chicago, but back home in South Africa.
Photo: Tim Austen/Getty Images
