Bafana Bafana striker Lebo Mothiba has been ruled out of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations due to injury.
His Ligue 1 club RCS Strasbourg confirmed on Monday evening that he underwent surgery for a fractured patella (knee) after suffering an injury this weekend.
The statement confirmed he will be ruled out for ‘several months’ leaving him with no chance to return to fitness for the continental showpiece in Ivory Coast next month.
It proves a major blow for Hugo Broos, as Mothiba and Lyle Foster, both named in the preliminary 50-man squad are now set to miss out of the final 23-man squad.
Mothiba featured 15 times under new head coach Patrick Vieira in the French top-flight this season, scoring three goals.