Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has addressed criticism from sections of supporters calling for his retirement and revealed why he's confident he will play "until 40 plus".
Khune has been at Chiefs since childhood days in the development and was promoted to the senior team in 2004 and after making his debut three years later, he went on to become a regular up until the last couple of seasons, where he has struggled with injuries.
With nearly two decades in the Amakhosi senior team, there have been calls from sections of supporters who believe the 35-year old should retire.
Read: Khune On His Chiefs Future: If We Have To Part Ways, We Will…
However, the North West native says he is inspired by goalkeepers such as Italian Gianluigi Buffon who is still playing professionally at age 45 and revealed his personal investment to prolong his career.
"What about Gianluigi Buffon currently (playing for Italian Serie B side Parma) and at 35 I must retire?" Khune asked on Marawa Sports Worldwide.
"I've been getting a lot of those questions and I always look up to goalkeepers like Gianluigi Buffon and I looked up to one of the best goalkeepers Africa has produced, Essam El-Hadary from Egypt (who retired at age 47 in 2019).
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"Those are the guys that have kept me going and all you need to do as a footballer you need to invest in yourself and I think I've done that, at my house I have a personal gym," he revealed.
The Amakhosi captain went on and expanded that he is working personally with club trainers like Sports Scientist Muzi Maluleke and says there's a stigma in South Africa that gives footballers a short time span to play professional football.
"And I communicate a lot with our trainer Muzi Maluleke and even my wife works hard on her fitness, so (the trainers and team chefs) would prepare our meals, what we have to eat, what we have to do in order for us to reach the goals we want to reach," he went on.
"So I think on that part we've done tremendously well by investing in the equipments that I'm gonna need to keep me fit and play until I'm 40 plus.
"Because that's what I've been saying and for people to keep on saying I must retire, I know there's this stigma in South Africa that a footballer at the age of 27, 28 he's still regarded as a youngster and you turn 33, 34 you're regarded as an old player that needs to retire," he grumbled.
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