South African football legend Phil ‘Chippa’ Masinga will always be remembered for his spectacular goal against Congo that took the national team, Bafana Bafana, to their first FIFA World Cup.
Celebrations broke out around the country as fans prepared themselves for the 1998 World Cup in France.
“That was a great goal. I remember before the Congo game that a lot was expected from us to win so that we can qualify for our first ever World Cup. I was motivated to do well in that particular game, playing in front of our supporters who wanted us to win. I was determined to make use of any scoring opportunity that I got, so when I got that chance I took a long range shot and it went in. I was so happy after scoring, you could see in my celebrations that the goal meant a lot to me and it was very important for us to win,” says Masinga.
“Qualifying for the World Cup for the first time was something special for us as a team. We prepared ourselves well for all the games that we played. What really inspired me was the good team spirit in the Bafana Bafana camp. We were always determined to help each other and make the nation proud,” he says.
Masinga became a superstar from humble beginnings. As a boy, he played football in the dusty streets of Stilfontein, a mining town in North West Province. His professional career started at Jomo Cosmos in 1987 before spending three successful years at Mamelodi Sundowns.
“We had some good players at Cosmos, the likes of Augustine Makalakalane, the late Thomas Madigage and Helman Mkhalele. At that time we were doing very well at Cosmos and we used to give some big teams a tough time whenever they played against us,” he says.
“My move to Sundowns was another step forward in my career and we won some important trophies. I played alongside many top strikers at Sundowns and we used to keep the defenders from the opposition busy. I remember when Daniel Mudau came to us; we used to play well together, scoring some important goals for the team.”
In 1994, his transfer to Leeds United in the English Premier League, along with Lucas Radebe, made headlines and the club’s fans called him Waltzing Masinga. His opportunities at a star-studded Leeds were limited and after two seasons, he moved to St Gallen in Switzerland where he stayed for seven months. He then went to Italy where he played for Salernitana and Bari.
“Coming from the South African league straight to Leeds United in England was a remarkable achievement for me. The standard of soccer at Leeds was very high. It was a different environment because of the weather but as a professional I managed to cope in those conditions. It was good for me that I was surrounded by quality players at Leeds. My fellow countryman Lucas Radebe and Anthony Yeboah from Ghana then came to join me at Leeds. It was good to have them around.”
“When I went to Switzerland it was much easier for me to adapt and settle quickly because of the experience I had at Leeds. I did not stay long there however the short time that I spent there was fine for me. In Italy, I stayed for one season at Salernitania and I spent four years at Bari. It was a wonderful experience that I went through in Italy because the standard of soccer there is also very competitive and I managed to improve as a player,” he says.
Masinga made a huge impact in South African colors. He was part of the team that won the African Cup of Nations in 1996.
“Winning the African Cup of Nations in 1996 was a great honor for the team. It is the biggest competition in Africa so I was very excited. The team played very well during the games that we won. We had a strong technical team and the support we got at home was very important.”
He scored great goals for the national team and was comfortable partnering any striker that was picked alongside him.
“As a striker I enjoyed my role in the national team and I partnered upfront with the different strikers. Whether I combined with Mark Williams or Shaun Bartlett it was very important for me to deliver for the team,” says Masinga, who scored 18 goals in 58 matches for Bafana Bafana.
Life hasn’t been easy since his playing days. Masinga went from being a multi-millionaire to bankrupt. In recent years, South African newspapers have reported that he had to move back into his mother’s house and sell his football souvenirs.
Masinga is still very passionate about the game. He has the Safa Level One coaching qualification and is currently studying sports administration. He is involved with a development project that aims to produce the superstars of the future.
“Soccer has always been part of my life, that is why I am inspired to give back to the game. (Former captain of South Africa) Neil Tovey and I are busy scouting and recruiting the up and coming youngsters who are the future Bafana Bafana stars. I enjoy guiding the youngsters. I feel there is a lot of talent in South Africa and it is important to help the youngsters in a good organized structure like we are doing. These youngsters that we are coaching are showing great promise, they do well when we organize friendly games against other top PSL teams. They have a bright future.”
“When the right time comes, I feel I can also contribute to the game as an administrator. Through my experience as a player and coach, I feel I have what it takes to add value as an administrator,” he says.
Masinga has achieved so much on the field and is now leading the way off it as well.