Aaron Mokoena

Football player infobox
playername = Aaron Mokoena


fullname = Aaron Mokoena
height = height|ft=6|in=1
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1980|11|25
cityofbirth = Johannesburg
countryofbirth = South Africa
currentclub = Blackburn Rovers
clubnumber = 15
position = Defensive midfielder, Defender
youthyears = 1998–1999
youthclubs = Bayer Leverkusen
years = 1999–2003
2001–2002
2003–2005
2005–
clubs = Ajax
→ GBA (loan)
Racing Genk
Blackburn Rovers
caps(goals) = 007 00(0)
041 00(2)
032 00(1)
085 00(0)
nationalyears = 1999–
nationalteam = South Africa
nationalcaps(goals) = 073 00(1)
pcupdate = 18:29, 6 October 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = July 29, 2008

Aaron Mokoena (born November 25, 1980 in Johannesburg, Gauteng) is a South African footballer who currently plays for Blackburn Rovers as a defender or midfielder.

A signing from K.R.C. Genk in January 2005, "Mbazo" or "The Axe", as he is known, is the youngest ever player to have represented South Africa, having played in 1999 for the 2000 Summer Olympics qualifiers, and proceeding to make a worthy replacement for Lucas Radebe as captain of his country. He moved to Bayer Leverkusen and Ajax Amsterdam, before loaning out to K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot, and again finding himself captain of a squad.

Mokoena made his Blackburn debut on January 8, 2005, against Cardiff City in the FA Cup as a 43rd minute substitute for Barry Ferguson and went on to be a regular in the starting line-up for the remainder of the season, appearing 22 times in total. He was used by Blackburn manager Mark Hughes as part of a three-man midfield in a defensive 4-5-1 formation, a move which saw Blackburn concede fewer goals and move away from relegation danger.

Hughes has since reverted to a 4-4-2 formation limiting Mokoena's chances in Rovers' starting lineup. He is usually used as a second-half substitute in games in which Blackburn are winning, with his defensive qualities helping to protect the team's lead. With Robbie Savage out injured for Rovers, Mokoena started most of Rovers' games in 2007 and he scored his first goal for Blackburn Rovers in an FA Cup 6th round victory against Manchester City on 11 March 2007. However, he was later sent off in the game after getting a second yellow card.

In January 2008, Mokoena captained his South African side in the African Nations Cup which was held in Ghana, due to his impressive form in all three games he played in, it was reported that he will be a summer target for several European sides such as Manchester City, his former club AFC Ajax and Schalke 04 in Germany.

Since June 2008, he is also South Africa's most capped player overtaking Shaun Bartlett.

External links

*soccerbase|id=20845|name=Aaron Mokoena