Lucas Radebe: South Africa’s Living Legend

By Greg Bowes, writing from South Africa

In less than a month the planet’s biggest sporting show arrives in my backyard – and I’ll be at the opening fixture between SA and Mexico! As you can imagine Football Fever at the tip of the African continent is sky high right now, but before I tell you all about what it’s like being a proud South African during the momentous event that is Africa’s first Football World Cup, I thought I’d introduce myself (and flex my football-writing pen) by paying homage to one of our country’s greatest soccer sons – a master defender who’s still doing much for the game down here and who is heavily involved in World Cup prep and proceedings. No, it’s not the permanently benched Benni McCarthy: it’s Lucas Radebe.

Born in Soweto and originally a goalkeeper, Radebe (pronounced Ra-de-be®, contrary to what English commentators called him throughout his Premiership career!) has become a figurehead not just for South African football, but also for a startling array of good causes he’s lent a kick to. He even lent some inspiration to a great British rock band.