“Come on, they bet 200,000 on Gigi? That's it!”

Siyabonga Ngezana missed out on his country's squad as he hasn't played that much for the club team lately. He did not perform at FCSB due to the fact that he refused to have surgery to fix a meniscus problem.

FCSB also lost a sum of money because Siyabonga Ngezana was not present at the final tournament in USA, Mexico and Canada. Each club team is rewarded with $11,000 for each day that legitimate players spend at the final tournament in the summer of 2026.

Mihai Stoica: “Come on, I bet 200,000 on Gigi? We had them and lost them? That's it. He chose that way”

“We lost money on Ngezana, that's it, we're bankrupt. 11,000 per day. There are 200 or so thousand. Come on, Gigi is getting 200,000? I had them and lost them? That's it. He chose not to go to the World Cup and that's his job.

No surgery. Not. Look at him for what he is. Does it look good? It doesn't look good. Some told us “why don't you put a clause?” Clause to what? Can I put him in a straitjacket and forcefully take him to surgery? What clause could I put in the contract of a player who does not want to have surgery? He trains. How do they train? How can he, but he trains.

I don't know now what his knee looks like. At that time, he had a torn meniscus in the “basketball” and in two months he could play. He didn't want to and said that maybe so. Okay, we saw what he could do,” Mihai Stoica said, according to primasport.ro.

• Siyabonga Ngezana played 90 minutes in the last stage of the play-out, the 0-2 failure at Hermannstadt's ground.

• This season, Siyabonga Ngezana has played 2852 minutes in 34 games. He scored a goal and provided an assist.

• It is quoted by specialized websites at 2.6 million euros. He has 11 caps for the South African national team. He made his debut in 2024 for his country's team.

South Africa's 2026 World Cup squad

• Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns), Ricardo Goss (Siwelele), Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates), Brandon Peterson (Kaizer Chiefs)

• Defenders: Khuliso Mudau (Mamelodi Sundowns), Olwethu Makhanya (Philadephia Union), Bradley Cross (Kaizer Chiefs), Thabiso Monyane (Kaizer Chiefs), Thabang Matuludi (Polokwane City), Nkosinathi Sibisi (Orlando Pirates), Aubrey Mobida (Mamelodi Sundowns), Khulumani Ndamane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Ime Okon (Hannover 96), Samukele Kabini (Molde), Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago Fire).

• Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Jayden Adams (Mamelodi Sundowns), Brooklyn Poggenpoel (Durban City), Lebohang Maboie (Kaizer Chiefs), Thalente Mbatha (Orlando Pirates), Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela)

• Strikers: Oswin Appollis (Orlando Pirates), Tshepang Moremi (Orlando Pirates), Evidence Makgopa (Orlando Pirates), Lyle Foster (Burnley), Iqraam Rayners (Mamelodi Sundowns), Relebohile Mofokeng (Orlando Pirates), Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns), Patrick Maswanganyi (Orlando Pirates), Kamogelo Sebelebele (Orlando Pirates), Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thapelo Maseko (AEL Limassol).