Mohau Nkota has needed less than a year to rise from being a fresh-faced teenager at Orlando Pirates graduate to earning a life changing move to Saudi Pro League club Al Ettifaq.
To be specific, this time last year Nkota had only played in the DDC and was yet to make his first team debut at Pirates.
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It was only until September 29, 2024, that Jose Riveiro then gave the exciting winger minutes introducing him with just under a quarter to play away at Richards Bay.
Nkota had been an unused substitute in the previous league match against Polokwane City.
In the absence of Monnapule Saleng, the new kid wearing number 33 then hogged the headlines a month later with a brace against AmaZulu.
His first was struck from outside the box catching Richard Ofori unaware and the celebration afterwards when he ran half the length of the pitch to Riveiro was a sign of appreciation to the Spaniard.
On an evening when he was a menace, Nkota added his second six minutes.
Then before the break he was within sight of a hattrick when his effort came off the post after selling his marker what has since become a trademark, drop of the shoulder and then step over.
His arrival in the Champions League came with another double away at CR Belouizdad and on the other two occasions that he played in North Africa against MC Algiers and Pyramids he scored.
The end of his first season came up to 39 appearances, seven goals, five assists, plus the reward of a Bafana Bafana call-up for the June FIFA dates.
That debut season has meant Nkota is nominated for the Premiership Young Player of the Season and the Nedbank Cup Most Promising Player.
What matters most is that what he has done in only one season at Pirates has earned him a move to the Saudi Pro League.
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His package at Ettifaq will push him into a Rand millionaire before he turns 21 in November.
Nkota is now teammates with Dutch international and former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, who is the top earner at the club with a gross of 17,5 million Euro (approx. R361 million) per annum.
Photo: Al Ettifaq
