Bongokuhle
Hlongwane
F
#21
Bongokuhle Hlongwane
Minnesota United FCHeight : 6' 1" · Weight : 172 lbs · Age : 26
MLS record
| Year | Team | FC | FA | RC | YC | OG | APP | SUB | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current season | Minnesota United FC | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 11 | 1 |
- 2026 guaranteed comp.
- 1.14 M$
- Base salary
- 1.00 M$
- Rank on the club
- #4 of 26
Guaranteed compensation: base salary plus signing bonuses and other guaranteed money, annualized; performance bonuses are not included. Contract length is not made public.
Advanced stats, 2026 Fullbacks
MLS stats →2026 season, in progress (704 minutes played). The percentile ranks the player among regular fullbacks (1,000+ minutes over a full season): 90th means better than 90% of them.
Goals
0
23th percentile
Assists
1
47th percentile
Expected goals (xG)
0.6
42th percentile
Expected assists (xA)
0.8
24th percentile
Goals − xG
−0.6
24th percentile
Key passes
7
26th percentile
Pass completion
75.5 %
10th percentile
Passes over expected
−3.6 /100
1th percentile
g+ per 90
−0.07
13th percentile
Minutes
704
Regular season. xG: expected goals from chance quality; xA: expected assists. Passes over expected: completed passes above expectation, per 100 passes, given their difficulty. g+: goals added, above the position average. Data: American Soccer Analysis.
2027 projection
MLS trends →Projected WAR
0.1
Confidence: high · based on the backtest and minutes played
Projected minutes
1,563
WAR 2026
-0.1
Minutes played
704
The pace of the last three seasons (WAR per minute, 60/25/15), pulled toward the group average as if 1,000 more minutes, over the minutes expected from the last two seasons, adjusted for age. Method chosen by backtest (2023 to 2026): mean error of 0.24 wins.
Trend
→ Stable (-6)
- 20231.1 WAR · 1.22 per 3,000 min
- 20240.3 WAR · 0.42 per 3,000 min
- 20250.4 WAR · 0.46 per 3,000 min
- 2026-0.1 WAR · -0.43 per 3,000 min
The trend compares this season's WAR per 3,000 minutes with last season's (at least 500 minutes each), weighted by playing time.
Outlook, age included
+4 · 26 y.o. · prime years
It is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, transfers or role changes.
Player ratings, 2026
All ratings →Ratings from 0 to 100, computed over four seasons from data, never by hand, against regulars in the same position group. 75 = established regular, 87 = 90th percentile, 95+ = elite. EX counts his MLS seasons since 2021, from our data: his career elsewhere is not included.
OV · Overall
72
Established starter
- DEF
- Defending
- 88
- PAS
- Passing
- 35
- VIS
- Vision
- 79
- DRI
- Dribbling
- 48
- DIS
- Discipline
- 84
- DUR
- Durability
- 71
- EX
- Experience
- 70
Why these ratings?Hide details
- DEF — Defending : Goals added by interrupting (tackles, interceptions, clearances)
- PAS — Passing : Goals added by passing, passes completed over expected
- VIS — Vision : Expected assists and key passes per 90
- DRI — Dribbling : Goals added by carrying the ball
- DIS — Discipline : Goals added by fouls drawn and avoided
- DUR — Durability : Share of his club's minutes played, over several seasons
- EX — Experience : MLS seasons since 2021 (our data)
WAR and PAL Rating, 2026
How we rate →WAR: the goals added (g+) of each of his actions, above replacement level (the per-minute output of his group's fringe players), converted to standings points (0.64 points per goal), then to wins (3 points = one win). PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against regulars in the same group (50 = median).
WAR
-0.1
−0.3 goals above replacement
PAL Rating
27 / 100
Value Rating · 2026
Sporting contract value
5 / 100
The surplus: his 2026 WAR (-0.1) × the price of a win ($3.6M), minus his 2026 guaranteed compensation, against other fullbacks. Commercial value (tickets, sponsors, media rights) is not counted.Salary$1.1MSurplus−$1.5MWAR paid0.31PAL: dimensions
Where WAR comes from (in wins)
Getting open and receiving the ball in dangerous areas.
Breaking up the opponent's play: tackles, interceptions, clearances, blocked shots.
Fouls drawn (free kicks, penalties won) minus fouls committed.
The value of his shots: the quality of the chance and what he makes of it.
Carrying the ball and beating defenders, minus the balls lost.
How his passes change his team's chances of scoring and conceding.
The parts above are measured against the position average. This adjustment moves the baseline to a fringe player in his group, prorated by minutes: positive when fringe players do worse than average, negative when they do better.
| Season | Team | Min | WAR | PAL | OV | G | A | xG | xA | g+/90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | MIN | 704 | -0.1 | 27 | 72 | 0 | 1 | 0.6 | 0.8 | −0.07 |
| 2025 | MIN | 2,626 | 0.4 | 80 | 79 | 3 | 1 | 4.5 | 2.6 | +0.05 |
| 2024 | MIN | 2,144 | 0.3 | 60 | 77 | 11 | 2 | 9.3 | 2.7 | +0.03 |
| 2023 | MIN | 2,716 | 1.1 | 85 | 79 | 8 | 3 | 13.2 | 3.6 | +0.13 |
| 2022 | MIN | 1,754 | 0.4 | 51 | 73 | 2 | 4 | 4.4 | 2.9 | +0.07 |
Bongokuhle Hlongwane in five questions
How many goals does Bongokuhle Hlongwane have in 2026?
Bongokuhle Hlongwane has 0 goals and 1 assist in 704 minutes in 2026 (expected goals: 0.6).
How old and how tall is Bongokuhle Hlongwane?
Bongokuhle Hlongwane is 26 years old. He is 6'1" (185 cm) and weighs 172 lb (78 kg).
How good is Bongokuhle Hlongwane?
Bongokuhle Hlongwane produced -0.1 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2026. His PAL rating is 27 out of 100: below average for his position.
How much does Bongokuhle Hlongwane make?
Bongokuhle Hlongwane earns $1.1M for the 2026 season. His Value Rating (on-field contract efficiency) is 5 out of 100 (very poor return): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position; the player's commercial value is not part of it.
What number does Bongokuhle Hlongwane wear, and what team does he play for?
Bongokuhle Hlongwane plays for Minnesota United FC in the MLS, at F, and wears number 21.
