Kaizer Chiefs legend Itumeleng Khune has rated former teammate Siphiwe Tshabalala as the best player from his generation.
The two played together for Amakhosi between 2007-2018 as well as for Bafana Bafana and had the privilege to wear the club’s armband.
Shabba, who has scored one of the most iconic goals in football at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, was also successful with Chiefs during his time at Naturena winning trophies including league honours before departing for Europe.
Speaking to iDiski Times writer Lethabo Kganyago in edition 200 of the newspaper, ‘Spiderkid’ said Shabba was always a reliable teammate especially when the chips were down.
“Siphiwe Tshabalala… not because he was my teammate at club and national level,” Khune told iDiski Times.
“Siphiwe was a phenomenal player. You could always count on him when chips were down for either Chiefs or Bafana. I knew that Siphiwe will make a plan. He used to carry the club, and I’m honoured and privileged to have shared the field with him.
“And even last week, I was doing a Dream Drive shoot with him and Happy Jele for the Derby Kings and I looked at him and I kept on asking myself, you know, this short guy with dreadlocks is the one who used to give players problems. He used to have about five, six defenders marking him, but he will leave them for dead and hit the back of the net.
“He wasn’t a striker. He was a midfielder, but I knew as soon as I give him the ball, he’s taking them on. You can go back and watch all his goals, and you will see he was something special.”
