On Thursday, 29 June, campaign ambassador, Bafana Bafana and Leeds United legend, Lucas Radebe was in conversation with SuperSport’s Lwazi Ziqubu to discuss his involvement in the initiative, in the presence of a live audience as well as viewers tuning in via a live stream.
Published
june , 2023
The Chief, as he’s commonly known as, acknowledged the pressure of representing not only one’s country but also the continent. However, his desire to succeed saw him through.
“As Africans, we always looked back at where we come from. The surname on our backs meant a lot rather than the game itself.”
Having represented “The Peacocks” during an era that boasted a whole host of South African talent such as Mark Fish and Shaun Bartlett in the PL, he lamented Mzansi’s regression on football’s world stage.
“The talent is there - we’re not far off. If we can invest more in the element of professionalism away from the game, it would be absolutely brilliant.”
With Burnley’s Lyle Foster being the sole South African player in this upcoming Premier League season, his advice to Vincent Kompany’s target man was simple.
“The first three years are very important. Dig deep and put your head down and you would’ve achieved your goal. Where you are, give 100% effort and do your best to improve your game.”
In a campaign that Radebe described as a “joy and honour” to be a part of, fans have had an opportunity to vote for eleven (11) of their favourite African players from a pool of 30, with voting closing on 30 June 2023.
The media event was a precursor for another media event in Lagos on Wednesday, 05 July before the Gala Dinner, also in Lagos on Thursday 06 July 2023. There, the PL 30 Africa XI, voted by the fans, will be revealed in a glitzy evening befitting of Africa’s PL Kings.
With the campaign wrapped up – and the countdown to the 2023-24 Premier League having already begun, SuperSport viewers can look forward to enjoying nothing but the best of football entertainment, unfortunately without Radebe’s beloved Leeds.
Arsenal, the team he has a soft spot for, alongside treble champions, Manchester City are but a couple of the teams DStv and GOtv subscribers can look forward to watching on Africa’s only true home of football.
Fans can also catch PL 30 Africa XI candidates on SuperSport for “Unbeatable Football!”
Fans can visit www.dstv.com and www.gotvafrica.com to subscribe or upgrade and join in on the excitement.