Famous South African Football Players

South African former footballer Benni McCarthy had played for a number of European clubs, such as Ajax Amsterdam, before moving on to the South African club Orlando Pirates. He also represented Bafana Bafana, the South African national team, in the 1998 World Cup and African Cup of Nations.

Midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala is a promising South African footballer and was the first to make his international debut while playing for the National First Division. He had played for Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs before joining AmaZulu. The son of a taxi driver, he initially aspired to become a chartered accountant.

Former Manchester United midfielder Quinton Fortune was one of the rare South Africans to be part of the Premier League. He had started his football career with the Tottenham Hotspur at 14 and later also played for Atletico Madrid. He has also been associated with anti-domestic-violence campaigns.

Steven Pienaar is a South African former football player who served as the captain of the South African national team. He represented his national team in a couple of World Cups, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup which was hosted by South Africa. He is currently serving as an assistant coach for the Ajax Youth Academy's U-18 team.

The first player from South Africa to play in a regular NFL game, Gary Anderson holds the record of completing an entire season without missing a kick, ending up with 94 out of 94 shots at goal in 1998. The four-time Pro Bowl was the son of a soccer player.

South African-American footballer Greg Joseph is a well-known placekicker for the NFL team Minnesota Vikings. Born in Johannesburg, he moved with his family to Florida at age 7. He started his professional career with the Miami Dolphins and later also played for the Cleveland Browns and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

A former star footballer of the South African national team, Lucas Radebe had begun his career with the Kaizer Chiefs. He later also led the English club Leeds United. Nicknamed the Chief and Rhoo, he has also been associated with charitable initiatives against racism and for the development of children.

Itumeleng Khune is a South African football player. He plays as goalkeeper and captains the South African national team as well as the Kaizer Chiefs Football Club in the Premier Soccer League. Renowned for his quick reflexes, Khune is popular for having made important saves. Also known for his philanthropic efforts, Khune once donated R150000 to an old age home.

Footballer Thulani Serero has played for both the South African national team and the Middle-Eastern club Al Jazira, with whom he won the Gulf Pro League. He has been part of the Dutch clubs Ajax and Vitesse and won honors such as the 2011 PSL Footballer of the Year.

South African professional footballer Tokelo Anthony Rantie began his career early in his life, joining Dangerous Darkies possibly at the age of seven. At fifteen, he joined Stars of Africa Academy and over the time began playing for different clubs before being picked up for the South Africa national football team as striker, appearing in forty international games till 2017.  

Best known as a midfielder or striker for the Kaizer Chiefs, South African footballer Bernard Parker has also been associated with the Red Star Belgrade of Serbia and FC Twente of the Netherlands. He was also the top goal-scorer at the  2014 African Nations Championship.

The youngest player to represent South Africa in international matches, former footballer Aaron Mokoena played mostly as a defensive midfielder. He played in 107 matches for his country and captained South Africa in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

Katlego Mphela is a former football player who represents the South African national team. He helped his country finish fourth in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup which earned him a place in South Africa's squad for the 2010 World Cup. Nicknamed Killer for his ability to close out a goal, Katlego Mphela is also renowned for his speed and strength.

Kagiso Dikgacoi is a South African former football player who represented the South African national team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He also played for South Africa at the 2008 and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. Kagiso Dikgacoi is currently serving as the manager for Witbank Spurs.

Former wide receiver Jerome Pathon began his NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts and later represented teams such as the Seattle Seahawks and the Atlanta Falcons. The North Shore Sports Hall of Fame inductee has also coached the teams of the San Diego and South Florida universities.

Renowned American football linebacker, Ezra Butler, the son of Grammy-nominated guitarist and music producer Jonathan Butler, started his career with college football at Nevada and his senior career with the San Francisco 49ers. He has represented the Las Vegas Locomotives and won the UFL championship twice, and now coaches high-school students.