Everything Counts: Sports Edition | Teboho Mokoena - How Teboho Mokoena learned to respect money

Loading player...
“Respect money and it will respect you.”
That is one of the earliest money lessons Investec ambassador SA soccer midfielder playing for Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana Teboho Mokoena learned growing up in Bethlehem – and it has shaped the way he thinks about football, family and financial freedom.
In this episode of Everything Counts: Sports Edition, Teboho shares how he went from earning his first salary of R3 500 a month to navigating bigger contracts, money mistakes, lifestyle pressure and the responsibility of building generational wealth.

He opens up about:
• The childhood lessons that shaped his money mindset
• What changed when football became a career
• The pressure that comes with earning more, quickly
• Money mistakes, including chasing fast returns
• Why financial literacy matters for footballers
• His plans for life after football
• Giving back to young players in Bethlehem
This is more than a football story. It is a conversation about discipline, responsibility and learning how to make success last.

Watch now and subscribe to Investec Focus Radio for more conversations that prove: when it comes to money, everything counts.

00:00 Introduction
00:45 Growing up in Bethlehem
01:56 Money lessons Teboho Mokoena learned from family
05:03 When football became a career
06:00 Making money as an athlete
06:33 Becoming a professional footballer
08:46 Teboho Mokoena on joining Mamelodi Sundowns
11:07 How family changed Teboho Mokoena’s money mindset
11:45 Teboho Mokoena’s money philosophy
12:10 Is there enough financial literacy for athletes in South Africa?
16:20 Teboho Mokoena’s time as an Investec ambassador
19:02 Managing money and pressure as a footballer
21:40 How Teboho Mokoena supports his hometown community
23:10 Plans for life after football
24:05 Teboho Mokoena’s financial advice for young people
26:06 Conclusion
2 Jun English South Africa Business · Investing

Other recent episodes

No Ordinary Wednesday | The signals from oil, bonds and inflation

Oil, bond yields and inflation are sending a more cautious signal on the global outlook. Growth has held up better than expected. But energy markets remain tight, long-term borrowing costs are rising, and central banks are weighing the risk of another inflation shock. In the latest No Ordinary Wednesday, Ellie…
8 Sep 17 min

Macro Monday Ep130: Crude prices, US jobs place focus on interest rates

Crude oil prices have risen over 20% in the last month, and this problem seems unlikely to be resolved quickly: prediction markets put only a 30% likelihood of normal flows through the Strait of Hormuz by December. Chris Holdsworth, Global Chief Investment Officer, Investec Investment Management says with services inflation…
7 Sep 8 min

Macro Monday Ep129: Warsh’s hawkish speech

New Fed chief Kevin Warsh delivered a hawkish speech at the Jackson Hole symposium of central bankers on Friday, leading to a stronger US dollar and increased expectations of rate hikes this year and next year. Investec Investment Management’s Investment Strategist Osagyefo Mazwai examines what this means for the US…
31 Aug 9 min

No Ordinary Wednesday | The economics of tourism in SA

South Africa’s growth challenge is shifting from reform to delivery. Tourism is part of that test. International arrivals rose 12.3% in the first half of 2026. And phase III of the government-business Partnership now puts the sector firmly on the growth agenda, with a focus on air access, visas, safety…
25 Aug 12 min

Everything Counts | Episode 54: Protecting property wealth

Property is often seen as one of the more reliable ways to build long-term wealth. It’s tangible, familiar and, for many South Africans, an important part of their financial plan. But investing in property comes with risks that can be easy to overlook, from hidden costs and changing rental yields…
25 Aug 28 min