Former South Africa captain John
'Shoes' Moshoeu has died aged 49.
Moshoeu had been suffering from
stomach cancer an
d lost his battle against the disease on Tuesday.
The midfielder won 73 caps and will
be particularly remembered for starring in Bafana Bafana's 1996 Africa Cup of
Nations-winning team.
Former South Africa captain Neil
Tovey pays tribute to his team-mate John 'Shoes' Moshoeu, who died from cancer.
Moshoeu's career began in 1987 with
local side Giant Blackpool and he went on to play for eight other teams
including Kaizer Chiefs and Turkish giants Fenerbahce.
He first played for South Africa in
1993 - a year after their return from a decades-long ban because of apartheid -
and, incredibly, he was still part of the Bafana Bafana team at the 2004
Nations Cup at the age of 38.
Moshoeu carried on playing
professionally for four more years before finally hanging up his boots when he
was 42.
Tovey added: "He was an extreme
athlete, a very balanced footballer. He was nimble and could drop a shoulder to
send a whole defence in one direction and he would go in the other direction.
"He is up there as one of the
best South African players. And for someone to finish their professional career
at the age he did, that says a lot. He lived his life the correct way."
South Africa Football Association
president Dr Danny Jordaan said: "Our deepest condolences to his family
and friends for their loss, hope they find strength in these difficult times.
The passing on of this legend saddens us.
"Shoes was a genius on the
field, an intelligent man off it. He was humble and always willing to give
advice. He will be remembered for almost single-handedly defeating Ghana in
South Africa's path to lifting the 1996 Nations Cup title. We have certainly
lost a hero."
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