The famous colours of Orlando Pirates. Image: The South African
Orlando Pirates cult hero of the day: 18 January 2023
Orlando Pirates fans have been treated to some special talents down the years. Who is today’s featured ex-Buccaneers star?
The famous colours of Orlando Pirates. Image: The South African
Cult heroes are in important ingredient in any football season and for all football clubs. Orlando Pirates are no exception.
Whether it’s through touches of flair or match-defining moments of magic, footballers have many of ways of endearing themselves to their adoring fans.
OPINION: Benni McCarthy could be in line for the assistant manager role at Man United
Orlando Pirates cult hero of the day: Mbulelo Oldjohn Mabizela
Ex-Tottenham Hotspur and Mamelodi Sundowns and Bidvest Wits defender Mabizela never truly realised his immense potential as a footballer, but he’s remembered fondly by Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates fans. The supremely gifted centre-half won the PSL title in 2003 with the Buccaneers before moving onto Spurs, under the management of David Pleat, Jacques Santini and Martin Jol.
LOL: BBC FA Cup coverage hilariously interrupted by porn audio clip
Mabizela had an eye for the spectacular, as he proved time and time again for both club and country. Players with his immense technical gifts like to show them off to the world, and why not? When last did you see a central defender score goals of this quality?
Then there’s this goal that Mabizela scored on DEBUT for Tottenham against Leicester in October 2003. Unfortunately, he would only go on to make a total of seven EPL appearances for Spurs before being shipped off to Norway with Valerenga, after a failed trial with Premier League side Fulham.
As with many footballing cult heroes, we’re left wondering how things might have been if Mabizela had applied himself more. The talent was most certainly there, in abundance. Football came so very easily to this man. We wish him well in his new coaching role at AmaZulu!
RIVAL WATCH: Kaizer Chiefs cult heroes: 18 January 2023
Meanwhile, follow The South African on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news updates.
