Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Thandani "Bibo" Ntshumayelo shared what separated Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy from the rest.
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The story
Former Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United’s bustling midfielder, Thandani Ntshumayelo, reflected on playing with a South African sporting icon, Benni McCarthy.
Bibo reflects on what made Benni different in a podcast interview on Apex Sports International.
Ntshumayelo shared a change room with McCarthy in his first couple of years at the Buccaneers, as the latter donned the black and white of the Sea Robbers from 2011 until retiring in 2013.
"With Benni McCarthy, you don't talk about talent, finances, it was about how he did not want to lose in everything he was doing. That guy has got money, but he doesn’t even want to lose in training," shared Bibo on Benni's will to win.
"There was a time we played Ajax (now Cape Town Spurs), we played them away. That game, I was playing sh*t, I was k*k. I think I was man-marking Thulani [Serero], so whenever we got the ball, I was tired because Thulani was hard to play against at that time.
"So when we got the ball, I was under pressure to make the team play, but I was tired. I remember at half-time, Benni shouted at me and Daine Klate. He used to call me 'shorty' and told me to my face that I was playing k*k!" added Bibo.
Watch the snippet of his podcast interview below:
Despite his promise in the heart of Pirates' midfield, Bibo suffered a setback during his peak years with the Buccaneers when he tested positive for cocaine.
This resulted in a four-year ban, which was later reduced in 2018. To revive his career, Ntshumayelo signed a short-term deal with Baroka FC for the 2018/19 season.
The following season, he joined Moroka Swallows but left the team in 2021 before retiring last year, aged 34.
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