If there were still doubts regarding whether or not Relebohile Mofokeng is ready to play in one of the world's top 10 leagues, he effectively put them to bed as Bafana Bafana stunned South Korea 1-0 to advance to the FIFA World Cup round of 32 to face Canada.
Making his first start of the World Cup after Hugo Broos controversially left him unused on the bench in the 2-0 loss to Mexico, and brought him on halfway through the 1-1 draw with Czechia, 21-year-old Mofokeng was the engine driving the team in the absence of suspended Teboho Mokoena.
The Orlando Pirates attacking midfielder was used in the no.10 role by Broos - further forward than Mokoena plays - but he dropped into every space he could find and led the game in key passes with four.
Mofokeng made way in the 80th minute as Broos opted to tighten the midfield with the more defensive Jayden Adams to see out the win.
Of course, Mofokeng did not lead Bafana to that victory alone. The goal by Thapelo Maseko was set up by substitute Tshepang Moremi - who not for the first time made an instant impact off the bench. Evidence Makgopa's hold-up play upfront was instrumental in unleashing Bafana - and Mofokeng in particular - when South Africa were on the break.
At the other end, Mbekezeli Mbokazi made a whopping 13 clearances to remind the world why Chicago Fire paid around $3 million to sign him from Orlando Pirates.
Chicago Fire FC defender Mbokazi's value was already known in international football fans, but Mofokeng had yet to prove before this tournament that he was a player a team other than Pirates could rely on on the big stage when the chips were down.
In fairness to Mofokeng, Broos had not afforded him the same consistency of opportunity in a Bafana shirt as he had 'TLB'. Mofokeng did start in the 2-1 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) round of 16 loss to Cameroon in January, putting in a solid shift but missing a key opportunity to score.
Less than six months on, the progress the attacking midfielder has made has been evident. In this World Cup, the difference between Bafana without Mofokeng and with him has been night and day.
They created precious little against Mexico and in the first half of their 1-1 draw to Czechia, but Bafana's World Cup campaign changed the minute he came off the bench for Jayden Adams in their second game.
By the time Broos made the switch the other way around late on against South Korea - bringing Adams on for Mofokeng - the mission of making the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time ever was on the verge of completion against all odds.
Bafana finished the job courtesy of the defensive exploits of Mbokazi and co., and now, it is Mofokeng's turn to join his former Pirates teammate in a league with more of the world's eyeballs upon him.
Mofokeng likely will not end up at a club the size of Barcelona - who were linked with him in late 2024, but were always unlikely to use him in their first team from the get-go even if they signed him. His current club coach, former Fulham defender Abdeslam Ouaddou, has admitted that he still needs to be "more efficient" and Broos has echoed that.
Barcelona have only been one of many rumoured potential suitors, however, with others ranging from Minnesota United to Monaco.
Ligue 1 and MLS are far from the only other possibilities for the rising star, but it is worth mentioning that against South Korea, he was on the pitch with ready-made stars from those leagues - Lee Kang-In (Paris Saint-Germain) and Son Heung-min (LAFC).
The fact that it will be Mofokeng's performance, rather than theirs, that the world remembers is a sign of how ready he is for the next step forward.