Former Tanzania coach compares Kaizer Chiefs signing Adolf Mtasingwa to Paul Pogba
Former Tanzania national team coach Adel Amrouche believes Kaizer Chiefs have signed a player with enormous potential after comparing new midfielder Adolf Mtasingwa Bitegeko to French World Cup winner Paul Pogba.
Chiefs recently confirmed the signing of the 27-year-old defensive midfielder from Tanzanian giants Azam FC on a two-year contract, with an option to extend for a further season.
Mtasingwa also made history by becoming the first Tanzanian player to sign for the Soweto giants.
Amrouche, who handed Mtasingwa his senior international debut, believes the midfielder has all the qualities to become a success in South African football.
“He has good height, plays with simplicity and doesn’t complicate his life on the pitch. He can be even better if he finds an environment where he’s trusted and managed well,” Amrouche told FARPost.
The former Tanzania coach went even further by comparing Mtasingwa’s style of play to that of former Manchester United and Juventus star Paul Pogba.
“He’s like Pogba. Adolf has a nice passing range. He knows how to vary the game with long and short passes. I brought him into the national team when he didn’t have a club. He’s very humble and has so much potential to do a lot more than he has already,” he added.
Former Azam FC teammate Prince Dube also backed the midfielder to succeed at Naturena.
Dube described Mtasingwa as a disciplined holding midfielder who protects the back four, wins possession and distributes the ball effectively.
“I think he’ll fit in very well at Kaizer Chiefs. He only needs to adjust because South African football is quicker, but his passing is very good,” Dube said.
Mtasingwa arrives at Chiefs with extensive experience after spending six years playing in Iceland, Norway and Finland before returning to Tanzania in 2024, where he captained Azam FC and became a regular for the Taifa Stars.
However, there are still questions over his fitness after an injury restricted him to just four appearances during the 2025/26 season.
Chiefs will hope the midfielder can stay fit and quickly adapt to the demands of the Betway Premiership, especially with reports suggesting Thabo Cele could soon leave Naturena.
