Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Bongani Zungu has responded to detractors who have picked up the negative side of his return to South Africa from Europe.
Zungu has been criticized by some supporters for returning to the DStv Premiership at his peak instead of forging out a career in Europe. The Bafana Bafana midfielder was re-signed by Sundowns in the off-season after his contract with French second-tier side Amiens expired.
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The 30-year old, who also had a spell at Scottish giants Rangers, says he did not fail in Europe and came back to South Africa for personal reasons.
"It was my decision with my family to come back to South Africa, I decided to come back, I had personal reasons why I had to come back and I don't have regrets about my career," Zungu told journalists at the Carling Black Label Cup World Cup score predictor event.
"You know, just like anything in life, you go through ups and downs and that's what happened with me, I'm not the last person that's going to face (problems)... Other people do face similar situations.
"But me, coming back it does not mean there was something wrong or I failed. People can say whatever but I'm happy, I come from nothing, I worked hard and I worked to play in Europe," he said.
"And I came back because of personal reasons, that's all. There's nothing about failing... I'm happy, my family is proud of me and I'm proud of myself. And now I'm at Sundowns there's no looking back, I have to try to help the team reach even greater heights."
Zungu came close to joining LaLiga side Mallorca on loan in January 2020, with the Spanish side having an option to make the deal permanent but Amiens pulled the plug on the transfer at the eleventh hour after they could not secure the Bafana midfielder's replacement, Victor Wanyama from Tottenham Hotspur. So there were reports, with the former Vitoria Guimaraes midfielder's contract with Amiens coming to an end, that he could still have suitors in Europe.
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However, 'Ben 10', as the player is fondly known, reiterated that he did not return to Sundowns for football reasons but it was purely a personal decision. "It's got nothing to do with football, it's just personal, family and I just made the decision, that's all. It's just personal, unfortunately I can't tell you, it's really personal," he added.
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