A season cut short
Chicago Fire will finish the campaign without one of its breakout names. Head coach Gregg Berhalter confirmed Thursday that defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi tore his left thigh in training and will miss the rest of the season. ESPN reported the 20-year-old center back will have surgery in Finland and is unlikely to play again until December.
The injury landed just after the World Cup, where Mbokazi helped South Africa reach the knockout stage for the first time in the country’s history.
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Why the loss stings
Mbokazi was not a depth piece. In his debut MLS season he started all 12 matches he appeared in and made the 2026 All-Star team, where he led every player in the fan vote. Chicago signed him from South Africa’s Orlando Pirates last December, and he quickly locked down a spot at the back.
Losing a defender who topped the All-Star ballot forces Berhalter to rebuild the middle of his back line during a playoff push. “Mbo being out for the year is a tough one,” Berhalter told Apple TV before Thursday’s 2-0 Leagues Cup win over Necaxa. “It’s really about the next person stepping up and being a team that’s hard to score on.”
The road back
The timeline points to a December return, which would line Mbokazi up for a full preseason ahead of 2027. For now, Chicago moves forward without the young defender who made the biggest first-year impression on its roster.
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