Bafana Bafana striker Bongokuhle Hlongwane is in the headlines and all over social media after his match-winning performance against Mozambique.
There's a lot to like about the Minnesota United forward - he's quick, powerful and has great balance and good feet and skill for a big man.
"Bongokuhle is a man who is very dangerous. He is fast and he has more power since he has started playing in America,” national team head coach Hugo Broos said, as quoted by the Herald.
“You can see his body. He tells me he goes to the gym two times a week. This is how modern football is. You need power. Not that you need to have big legs and arms, but power when you run. When Bongokuhle is sprinting you see power."
BackpagepixTo be fair, Hlongwane already exhibited plenty of those powerful traits during his time with Maritzburg, who played an integral role in developing him from raw talent to more polished marksman with massive potential.
Confidence player?
There does however remain an element of rawness to Hlongwane's game - we saw that when he missed a couple of easy chances before he snatched his brace against the Mambas with two quickfire strikes.
The first was a reaction finish - he used his hip to turn in a cross from close range. From that point on though he got better and better and with his confidence high, we saw what he can really do as he beat a man, cut inside and unleashed a clinical effort into the bottom corner for his second goal.
And therein perhaps lies the key for a player like Hlongwane - confidence.
There's no doubting his talent and it’s now the job of Broos to help ensure the player remains in that confident frame of mind when involved with Bafana.
The stats
The two goals brought his tally for the national team to four, from 10 matches - a healthy return.
Overall though his club career stats - in terms of goals and assists, need to improve as a striker. So far, he’s played 90 league and cup club games and scored nine goals, adding 11 assists.
But he's still only 22 - having made his PSL debut as an 18-year-old, and is in a good place at Minnesota United with former Everton attacking midfielder Adrian Heath in charge.
Minnesota United Playing in America, bigger doors could easily open for Hlongwane if he keeps up his progression.
And there's good reason to believe that if Broos, who clearly admires the player, can help steer the young forward in the right direction on the international stage, he could become the mainstay of the Bafana attack for the next decade, such is his relative youth.
Even with squad rotation to consider, Hlongwane must surely start in Sunday’s friendly against Angola.