Orlando Pirates academy graduate Dansin underlined his credentials as the club’s next creative heartbeat after captaining the side and starring in a 1-0 pre-season win over UD Las Palmas in Spain.
The 21-year-old playmaker started in the central attacking midfield role left vacant by Relebohile Mofokeng’s move to Royale Union Saint-Gilloise earlier this month, seizing his chance on Wednesday as Pirates claimed a second victory on their European training tour.
With first-choice No 10 Patrick Maswanganyi rested following the 3-2 defeat by Al-Ittihad, coach Abdeslam Ouaddou handed Dansin both the captain’s armband and responsibility “behind the striker” – a clear indication of the faith being placed in one of the club’s brightest academy products.
The Buccaneers are using the Spanish camp to reshape their attacking structure after Mofokeng’s departure, and early signs suggest Maswanganyi and Dansin are poised to share the creative burden in the new campaign, with Andre De Jong currently viewed as the third option in the role.
Academy stand-out fast-tracked to senior leadership
Born on 30 March 2005 in Newclare, Johannesburg, Dansin was schooled at the renowned SAFA-Transnet School of Excellence, where his performances drew attention from several leading South African clubs.
Orlando Pirates ultimately won the race for his signature, adding him to their DStv Diski Challenge squad for the 2023-24 season. He rapidly became one of the standout figures in the reserve side and was rewarded with the captaincy before being invited to train regularly with the first team.
That progression culminated in a senior debut in a 3-0 victory over Golden Arrows on 13 May 2025, after which he was formally promoted to the senior squad ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
Breakthrough year capped by silverware treble
Dansin’s first full season with the Buccaneers proved decisive for his reputation.
Operating as an attack-minded midfielder, he scored a spectacular long-range equaliser against Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld – a strike that earned a nomination for the Betway Premiership Goal of the Season award.
His influence grew as Pirates clinched a domestic treble, lifting the Betway Premiership, the League Cup and the MTN8. For a player still in the early stages of his professional career, the honours underlined his rapid rise from academy prospect to first-team contender.
Pirates fine-tune plans ahead of new campaign
Pirates will wrap up their pre-season tour of Spain with a fixture against Saudi Arabian side NEOM SC on Friday, 24 July 2026, with kick-off at 19:00. The match will conclude the Buccaneers’ European camp, where Ouaddou has been refining tactical options and giving younger players extended minutes.
Attention will then shift back to domestic matters as the club begin their Betway Premiership title defence. Bucs are scheduled to open the 2026-27 campaign against top-flight newcomers Milford FC at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday, 1 August 2026, with kick-off at 15:30.
With Mofokeng now in Belgium and a demanding season ahead, the Spanish tour has effectively become an audition for the No 10 shirt. On the evidence of his latest performance in Las Palmas, Dansin has positioned himself at the forefront of that contest.
