Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana icon Doctor Khumalo has dropped his all-time five players he believes define the nation’s football greatness.
One of his picks is the great Patrick Pule “Ace” Ntsoelengoe, rated as South Africa’s greatest ever footballer.
DOCTOR KHUMALO’S TOP FIVE
Khumalo’s name is synonymous with Kaizer Chiefs where he won multiple titles as one of the most elegant playmakers South African football has ever produced. His ability to control a game and deliver in crucial moments made him a true legend.
On the international stage, Khumalo was just as influential for Bafana Bafana. A key figure in the squad that lifted the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations trophy, he also helped South Africa qualify for two FIFA World Cups.
When asked to name his top five South African players, the Kaizer Chiefs icon carefully considered the legends who shaped the nation’s game. After a pause, he revealed his picks: “I’ll go for the late Ace Ntsoelengoe, Jomo Sono, Lucas Radebe, Phil Masinga and Shoes Moshoeu,” Khumalo said on Robert Marawa’s Sport Worldwide radio show, as quoted by iDiski Times.
WHO ARE THEY?
Pule “Ace” Ntsoelengoe – Widely regarded as one of South Africa’s greatest ever, Ace was a magician in midfield for Kaizer Chiefs in the 1970s and 1980s. Known for his dribbling, vision, flair and creativity.
Born on 26 February 1956 in Randfontein, he played 11 seasons in the North American Soccer League (NASL), beginning in 1973 with the Miami Toros. Ntsoelengoe was a legend in the United States of America (USA), where he was elected to the US Soccer Hall of Fame in 2003. Until today, the most talanted players in South African townships are nicknamed “Ace.”
Ephraim “Jomo” Sono – Nicknamed “Black Prince,” Sono was an Orlando Pirates superstar in the early 1970s before featuring in the USA for New York Cosmos, Colorado Caribous, and Atlanta Chiefs, most memorably sharing the pitch with Pelé at the Cosmos.
Lucas “Rhoo” Radebe – The pride of Soweto, Lucas earned his stripes at Kaizer Chiefs before moving to Leeds United, where he captained the Premier League side. A rock in defence and a leader on and off the pitch, Radebe’s calmness and professionalism made him a national hero and a role model abroad.
Philemon “Chippa” Masinga – A lethal striker with an eye for goal, Masinga played for Amakhosi and later took his talent overseas to clubs in Europe, at Leeds United in the English Premier League, and Salernitana and Bari in Italy’s Serie A. He scored the iconic goal against Congo that qualified South Africa for its first World Cup in 1998.
John “Shoes” Moshoeu – Known for his elegance and technical brilliance, Moshoeu first made his name at Giant Blackpool and Kaizer Chiefs. He is a legend of Turkish football, having played for Genclerbirligi, Kocaelispor, Fenerbahce, and Bursaspor between 1993 and 2003.
Read more articles by Siseko Gwegwe here.
