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Radebe: I Feel More Loved In Leeds But...

Radebe: I Feel More Loved In Leeds But...

Leeds United icon Lucas Radebe claims that he feels he is more loved in England than he is in South Africa and chalked it up to a very interesting reason.

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Earlier this week, Lays held an event in Sandton to relaunch their partnership with the UEFA Champions League as being one of the competition's flagship sponsors.

At the event, marketing lead for potato chips at PepsiCo, Tongase Dhlakama, revealed that along with reaffirming their strong connection with one of the world's most beloved football competitions, they also wanted to let the world know about their new brand ambassadors.

Thierry Henry and David Beckham were announced as the new faces of Lays' campaign, but so was Radebe from a local perspective,  as they claimed it was important for the brand to align themselves with a face South Africans could resonate with.

Still shown a tremendous amount of appreciation from a corporate point of view, the ex-central defender claims he does not seem to get that same adulation from the South African public as far as his playing career was concerned from the way he does in Leeds.

Lucas Radebe
Lucas Radebe made 255 appearances for Leeds United, a team he would also go on to captain.

When quizzed on which nation appreciates him more, the Soweto native said to members of the media: "For me, I think they appreciate me more that side [England].

"But I mean, how long has the English Premiership been in existence and how many great players that we know have played in it? The likes of George Best and players such as these have always been celebrated.

"This side who have we had that has truly been celebrated? We only started playing international football in 1992, but before then what was happening? For us, as a South African society, I don't think we're ready to be able to celebrate and show the passion in being able to celebrate someone individually.

"To be honest, I'll be by myself thinking that, 'South Africa has great names, great people that should be celebrated because of what they achieved'.

"1996 we won the Africa Cup of Nations and I think most of the players from that team now you know, but I think there is still a lot to be learned as a society because I don't think we're mentally prepared or have the know how to celebrate legends.

"Then again, I say that but we have a football association that should actually do that on behalf of the country. They should celebrate their own. It should start there then it can filter down because they have a lot of influence.

Lucas Radebe
Lucas Radebe was member of the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations winning team, and also played in two successive FIFA World Cup tournaments.

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"Possibly in the long run, with the groundwork we've laid down, there will be those who are celebrated once we're long gone. I think that culture will be instilled in the country and we'll learn how to do that."

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