Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Rivaldo Coetzee says he doesn’t consider himself injury prone as he broke down his history, suggesting luck has often deserted him over his professional career.
Coetzee, 29, is currently a free agent after parting ways with Sundowns at the end of the 2024/25 season after seven years at the club – who he admits played a huge role in his career after the failed move to Glasgow Celtic from Ajax Cape Town.
At that point, Coetzee was viewed as one of the finest talents to emerge from South African football, making his Premier Soccer League debut aged 16, before his Bafana debut a year later, earning 25 caps as a centre-back.
“To be honest with you, 15 months ago, I last played football,” Coetzee said on Andile Ncube on SNNWA.
“I’ve missed so many games through injury, the first year at Sundowns I couldn’t play for a full year. Just after the Celtic deal fell through, coach Pitso told me directly, I know you’re injured and the specialists says it will be a year to recovery, I will wait for you.
“I had no other option, for someone to believe in you, and the quality at Sundowns, it was an easy choice to make.”
Coetzee was known for his incredible technical ability on the ball and high football IQ, which saw him converted into a half-back at Sundowns filling a role in midfield and defence but over the years, has struggled to see out a full season of football.
“The ankle injury was the Celtic thing, I’ve had hamstring, groin, niggles and then there was the ACL tear – that was the biggest injury. But if you look at keeping me out of the game, it’s the ACL, it’s a year to get back to full fitness with no pain,” he explained about his injuries.
“Sometimes weather could affect [my foot] when it’s cold, but I just strap it to make it strong and stable – then I feel no pain, if I get the operation to fix the fracture, there would be pain [forever], my ankle wouldn’t be able to sustain it, the specialists couldn’t even tell me how it happened, but now I don’t feel pain anymore.
“It’s not [fair to say I’m injury prone], okay I’ve had a lot of injuries, it’s part of the game, but how you deal with it is important, it’s about if I believe in myself and my ability and the people I’m working with believe in me – I back myself 100%.”
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