Johannesburg - Mamelodi Sundowns’ midfielder Lebohang Maboe has given himself a pat on the back after overcoming a nasty knee injury to help the Brazilians clinch a domestic treble.
In July, Maboe was diagnosed with a lateral meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that was expected to rule him out for the rest of the season, according to team doctor Carl Tabane.
However, after going under the knife, spending time in the medical room and going through the rehabilitation process, Maboe returned to action early in April for the runaway champions.
His recovery was on point, given that it was just in time when Sundowns were officially crowned the local champions for the fifth time in a row, while they were still on course to win a quadruple.
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However, Maboe couldn’t inspire Sundowns to a Caf Champions League triumph as they crashed out in the last eight. But he played a huge role in them winning a local treble last Saturday.
Having won the MTN8 earlier in the term, for the first time in eight, the Brazilians completed their season by winning the Nedbank Cup after beating Marumo Gallants 2-1 in the final in Rustenburg.
Speaking on the side-lines of the team’s treble parade at Mamelodi Mall this week, Maboe gave a candid response about his time in the medical room for the better part of the season.
“I think I gave myself another opportunity to be on the football field. It’s a lonely journey. You can’t share what you are feeling with anyone else,” an emotional Maboe told the media.
“You can try to explain to them, but no one can feel what you are feeling. You can try to explain to them but no one is going through the pain that you are going through at that moment.”
The road to recovery wasn’t an easy one for Maboe. He concedes that he learnt some invaluable lessons, especially with the people in his circle and how to express himself, in the process.
“It takes a lot mentally. It’s not easy to keep yourself sane at times. I get emotional just talking about this. But it hasn’t been an easy journey for me personally,” the 27-year-old explained.
“But with the help of my family, girlfriend and the people that were always there for me (I bounced back). With such injuries you get to see who the real ones are.
“You have a couple of friends whom you think they’ll stick with you but wait until you get injured. I also journaled a lot. That helped me a lot because sometimes I struggle to express my feelings.”
Albeit arriving at Sundowns four seasons ago, Maboe has won four league titles and a handful of domestic trophies after leaving Maritzburg United where he reached the Nedbank Cup final in 2018.
His growth over the years has been incredible. However, he’s given credit to his father, Sidwell, the former Pirates' midfielder who was honest with him about his performances.
“It’s very important to have the four coaches especially for the one who’s sitting at home. He’s always going to be honest with me. He’s not gonna try and sugarcoat things,” Maboe said.