Five footballers that raised the South African flag high on international stage

From the Premier League, Bundesliga and Champions League, the players here have seen it all! Vuyolwethu Dyasi looks at some of Mzansi’s greatest players, who have dabbled in coaching and raised the country’s banner on international stages.

Benni McCarthy

Benni McCarty leads all South African scorers in scoring history. In 1998 and 2004, he was the fourth African footballer of the year. He competed for South Africa in the 1998, 2002, and 2006 World Cups, the 2000 Summer Olympics, and three editions of the African Cup of Nations. With seven goals, Benni McCarthy shared first place among all scorers at the 1998 African Cup of Nations. He then ventured into coaching and coached the likes of Amazulu and Cape Town City where he won his first trophy as a coach, not only that he won coach of the season in the 2020/21 PSL season. 30th July 2022 he was appointed as the first team coach. To add his long list of accolades he is the only South African to have won the champions league with FC Porto.

Lucas “Rhoo” Radebe

19 Aug 2000: Lucas Radebe of Leeds United heads away from Francis Jeffers of Everton during the FA Carling Premiership match at Elland Road in Leeds, England. Leeds won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Michael Steele /Allsport

Radebe joined Leeds United in England in 1994, and after a rocky start, he eventually won the hearts of Leeds supporters. After participating in the 1996 South African team that won the African Nations Cup, he was named captain of the Leeds club in 1998. Radebe concentrated on getting Leeds on the right track to win after going back to South Africa to captain Bafana Bafana in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. The Leeds squad qualified for the coveted European Cup, now known as the Champions League, by finishing fourth in the 1998–1999 English Premiership and third the following season.

Sibusiso “Rhee” Zuma

One of South Africa’s top players in the recent past, before joining Denmark’s FC Copenhagen, where he had a very successful period and is regarded as one of the club’s greatest legends, he played for African Wanderers and Orlando Pirates. Copenhagen’s victory over Brondby in the 2001 Superliga Championship final thanks to his back-kick goal was named the greatest moment in the club’s history. Rhee is still honored today in Denmark and his statue can be found at FC Copenhagen’s stadium.

Steven “Schillo” Pienaar

He began his senior career in 1999 after being promoted to Ajax Cape Town’s senior team. Two years later, Pienaar moved to Europe and played for Ajax Amsterdam until 2006, when Borussia Dortmund expressed interest and signed him. Shortly after that, he moved to Everton on loan, and the team eventually signed him. He continued to make headlines in the Premier League for Everton, winning their Player of the Season award for the 2009/10 season. Before returning home, he played for several teams in England, including Sunderland. He then joined Wits, retired in 2018 and began coaching. He joined Ajax as an under-18 assistant coach.

Kagisho “KG” Dikgacoi

KG, who is the head coach of Witbank Spurs, was one of the top defensive midfielders in Mzantsi, and as a result, he was rewarded with the captain armband at Golden Arrows. He joined Crystal Palace in 2009 and scored his first goal for the Eagles after leaving Fulham. His three-year contract with Cardiff City, which he signed in 2014, was mutually cancelled due to injuries. In a few major competitions, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2013 AFCON, Dikgacoi was part of the Bafana Bafana team.