Ime Okon
CB
Ball-Playing Centre Back
Feb 20, 2004 (22)
Right
6'2"
183 lb
Ranking
Grades
Key Grades
2026 World Cup
Overall Grades by game
2026 World Cup
Upcoming matches
No matches scheduled
News
Heartful performance in loss
Okon generated 11 clearances in Sunday's 1-0 defeat versus Canada.
Analysis: Okon did everything possible to keep South Africa competitive on Sunday, finishing with 11 clearances, two duels won, and an impressive 108 touches as he anchored the back line, but a late injury‑time goal from Canada ultimately ended the team's World Cup run. Across the tournament, he served as the heart and soul of South Africa's defense, playing every minute of all four matches while totaling 13 clearances, three tackles won, 14 recoveries, and a 93 percent passing accuracy, along with contributing to the squad's lone clean sheet, underscoring his consistency and importance throughout the campaign.
Provides defensive leadership
Okon generated two clearances and two interceptions in Wednesday's 1-0 win versus South Korea.
Analysis: Okon registered two interceptions, one key passe and two aerial duel wins across his 90 minutes as the central figure in South Africa's back three in Wednesday's 1-0 win over South Korea, providing the defensive leadership and positional discipline that kept Oh Hyun-Gyu and Hwang Hee-Chan largely contained throughout a match where his side's compact shape frustrated a technically superior South Korean attack. His leadership, aerial strength and ability to organize the backline in high-pressure situations make him the most important defensive figure in South Africa's squad, and his performances across three group games have been central to the clean sheet record that has carried Bafana Bafana into the round of 32 for the first time in the nation's history.
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