{{short description|South African soccer player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}} {{Use South African English|date=May 2019}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Orebotse Mongae | image = | fullname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|7|31|df=y}} | birth_place = Mafikeng, South Africa<ref>{{cite web | title=Botswana-Based SA Midfielder Orebotse 'Bobo' Mongae Eyeing PSL Move | date=16 January 2018 | url=https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/local/siyagobhoza/botswana-based-sa-midfielder-orebotse-bobo-mongae-eyeing-psl-move-20180116 }}</ref> | height = | position = Midfielder | currentclub = Upington City | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = North-West University | years1 = –2018 | clubs1 = Jwaneng Galaxy | years2 = 2018 | clubs2 = → Miscellaneous (loan) | years3 = 2018–2019 | clubs3 = Baroka | caps3 = 15 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2020 | clubs4 = Royal Eagles | caps4 = 1 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2020–2021 | clubs5 = BCM Stars | caps5 = | goals5 = | years6 = 2021–2022 | clubs6 = Platinum City Rovers | caps6 = 16 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 2022–2024 | clubs7 = TS Galaxy | caps7 = 55 | goals7 = 5 | years8 = 2024– | clubs8 = Upington City | caps8 = 4 | goals8 = 0 | club-update = 14 November 2024 }}
'''Orebotse Mongae''' (born 31 July 1993) is a South African soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Upington City in the National First Division.
Mongae was born in Mafikeng and attended North-West University. After an unassuming career in lower divisions, he moved abroad to Botswana. Mongae played for Jwaneng Galaxy and in 2018 he went on loan to Miscellaneous. He managed to score double-digits in the 2017–18 season. Having gone on trial at Bidvest Wits in January 2018, he signed for Baroka in May 2018.<ref name=bobo>{{cite news|url=https://www.snl24.com/soccerladuma/local/siyagobhoza/botswana-based-sa-midfielder-orebotse-bobo-mongae-eyeing-psl-move-20180116|title= Botswana-Based SA Midfielder Orebotse 'Bobo' Mongae Eyeing PSL Move|date=16 January 2018|author=|publisher=Soccer Laduma|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://guardiansun.co.bw/Sports/sensational-miscellaneous-face-tough-test|title= Sensational Miscellaneous face tough test|date=6 April 2018|publisher=Botswana Guardian Sun|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.snl24.com/soccerladuma/local/signings-galore-for-baroka-fc-20180524|title= Signings Galore For Baroka FC|date=25 May 2018|author=|publisher=Soccer Laduma|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/soccer/2018-08-08-botswana-players-psl-moves-lauded/|title=Botswana players' PSL moves lauded|date=8 August 2018|author=Motshwane, Gomolemo|publisher=Sowetan Live|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref>
Mongae then made his first-tier debut in the 2018-19 South African Premier Division.<ref>{{Soccerway|orebotse-mongae/591982|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref> In December 2019, the Baroka manager Wedson Nyirenda left the club. After that, Baroka released Mongae and three other players.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/soccer/baroka-release-players-following-nyirendas-departure/|title=Baroka release players following Nyirenda's departure|date=24 December 2019|author=|publisher=The Citizen|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref> Mongae later spoke on a lack of understanding between him and Nyirenda. He tried to join Highlands Park, but the trial was unsuccessful and he instead joined Royal Eagles on a short-term deal.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.snl24.com/soccerladuma/local/the-coach-didnt-understand-me-20200529|title='The Coach Didn't Understand Me'|date=29 May 2020|author=|publisher=Soccer Laduma|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref>
In January 2022, he was signed by TS Galaxy from Platinum City Rovers, and in March he managed to score his first Premier Division goal against SuperSport United.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/soccer/2022-03-23-mongae-i-dont-want-to-go-back-to-the-first-division/|title=Mongae 'I don't want to go back to the first division'|date=23 March 2022|author=Khoza, Neville|publisher=Sowetan Live|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref> The team barely managed to avoid relegation, and thus decided to give Mongae a new contract lasting until 2025.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://farpost.co.za/2022/07/01/ts-galaxy-keep-another-star/|title=TS Galaxy keep another star|date=1 July 2022|author=|publisher=FAR Post|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref> He finally made his breakthrough during the 2022-23 South African Premier Division, playing the majority of the games.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.snl24.com/soccerladuma/local/premiership/supersport-utd/supersport-united-interested-in-ts-galaxys-orebotse-mongae-20230611|title= SuperSport Interested In TS Galaxy Star?|date=11 June 2023|author=|publisher=Soccer Laduma|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref>
In April 2024, a tackle by Mongae on Zungu, for which Mongae was red-carded, stirred a minor controversy.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/featured/mokwena-questions-ramovic-over-zungu-revenge-tackle/|title=Mokwena Questions Ramovic Over Tackle On Zungu|date=29 April 2024|author=|publisher=iDiski Times|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/featured/ramovic-on-accusations-over-mongae-tackle-on-zungu/|title=Ramovic On Accusations Over Mongae Tackle On Zungu|date=30 April 2024|author=Kohler, Lorenz|publisher=iDiski Times|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref> In the summer of 2024 he was released by TS Galaxy, only to be swiftly signed by second-tier team Upington City.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://farpost.co.za/2024/08/17/orebotse-mongae-joins-upington-city/|title= Orebotse Mongae joins Upington City|date=17 August 2024|author=Dube, Mthokozisi|publisher=FAR Post|access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref>
He is nicknamed "Bobo".<ref name=bobo/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mongae, Orebotse}} Category:1993 births Category:Living people Category:People from Mafikeng Category:North-West University alumni Category:South African men's soccer players Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Jwaneng Galaxy F.C. players Category:Baroka F.C. players Category:Royal Eagles F.C. players Category:Platinum City Rovers F.C. players Category:TS Galaxy F.C. players Category:Upington City F.C. players Category:South African Premier Division players Category:National First Division players Category:South African expatriate men's soccer players Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Botswana Category:South African expatriate sportspeople in Botswana Category:21st-century South African sportsmen Category:Soccer players from North West (South African province)