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| Kaizer Chiefs legend Doctor Khumalo. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images) |
Doctor Khumalo, a legendary midfielder from South Africa, believes he has lived every player's dream. He played for Kaizer Chiefs for nearly two decades and participated in the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations and the 1998 World Cup during his peak of his career. Khumalo scored in SA's first international game after Bafana Bafana's re-admission by Fifa in 1992, playing against Cameroon. He was unaware of the importance of the goal, as they were not familiar with international football standards outside of their country due to apartheid.
Khumalo followed in his father Eliakim's footsteps, who played for the Glamour Boys for 14 years. At a tender age of 10, Khumalo joined Chiefs at a tender age, playing in the junior team and later advancing to the senior team. The chairman, Kaizer Motaung, advised him to dedicate 10 years to build his brand as a player. Khumalo decided to give 10 years and more to focus on his dream of being the first player to score in an international friendly.
Growing up in Soweto, Khumalo started in the school sports programme where he would make the team and represent his school. He would also go with his father to training, gathering all the motivation he needed to succeed. Football was the cheapest sport in Soweto, and 90% of the greatest players came from the school program that was taking place in Soweto and across the country.
Khumalo's career found him in the Chiefs' first team, with affectionate fans nicknaming him 16V for his ability to tackle and run as strong as a VW engine. When he was unveiled at Chiefs, VW introduced the Golf 16V, which Khumalo said was because he was dribbling past centres and they said his feet were the same as that car.
After deciding to hang up his boots in the 2003/2004 season, Khumalo has been focused on his career as an analyst at the public broadcaster and running his founded football academy, Doctor Khumalo Sports Academy and his own tournament. Though things are not going smoothly, Khumalo aims at bringing back sports school programs and using his skills as a veteran footballer and player-coach.
With the reputation he created around the number 15 jersey at Chiefs, Khumalo's son has told him he should be given three years before he takes over the famous number. He believes the person who will wear it is yet to be born. Khumalo is currently facing a challenge of finding space at Riverside to start empowering boys from Diepsloot, Alexandra, and Soweto. He was forced to halt his academy and is still looking for solutions after Curro decided to close its doors.
Khumalo recently entered singing competition The Masked Singer SA, where he wore a football-inspired costume. He became the third contestant to be unmasked on the show Soccerball.
This article is republished from Sowetan Live under Soccer News updates. Click here to read original article.
