Minnesota United star Bongokuhle Hlongwane, now worth approximately R73 million, was recently spotted exchanging jerseys with one of his former Maritzburg United teammates in the United States. Here's a look!
The story
Hlongwane's stock is at an all-time high, with Transfermarkt’s latest value update in June 2025 confirming that the player is now worth €3.5 million (approximately R73 million).
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Moreover, Hlongwane is currently the highest-paid South African in Major League Soccer, with a base salary of $1 million per year (around R17.8 million), according to the MLS Players' Association Salary Guide for 2025.
The 24-year-old is undoubtedly a key figure for Minnesota, having featured in every MLS match for the club this season. He has even been deployed at right-back on occasion.
Recently, however, Hlongwane was rested as his side played a friendly against German second-tier club Holstein Kiel on Tuesday.
The match ended 0–0, but the highlight came after the final whistle when Hlongwane stepped onto the pitch to exchange jerseys with former Maritzburg teammate Marcel Engelhardt, who was in goal for Kiel.
Engelhardt previously starred for Maritzburg United—now known as Durban City—during an 18-month spell between 2021 and 2022.
Hlongwane and Engelhardt shared the pitch 29 times in South Africa’s top flight, according to Transfermarkt.
During the exchange, the former KwaZulu-Natal-based duo appeared in good spirits, with Hlongwane even joking that he’s not quite sure how these kinds of things are done.
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