Siphiwe Tshabalala, who scored the opening goal of the 2010 World Cup on home soil, has confirmed offers to return abroad.

A man who got his big break to further his career in Europe much later after spending more than a decade playing for Kaizer Chiefs, has said retirement is not in his short-term plans, though the discussion has come up.

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‘Shabba’ returned back home in August last year as he could not agree personal terms with his Turkish club BB Erzurumspor over a contract extension.

He had joined them from Chiefs 12 months prior.

“The plan was to be back on the field sooner, but I picked up an injury late last year as we were about to embark on another journey. That was a blow for me, and I recovered from the injury and as I was about to leave, we found ourselves in the situation we are currently facing (Covid-19) and I had to put everything on hold,” the 35-year-old said during his virtual press conference with the SA Football Journalists’ Association.

“I had to understand that it can’t happen at that particular time. There was no movement, there was nothing. So I moved my focus to matters that were affecting us during that particular period, even now. I still hope that when this is all over, I will get an opportunity to be back on the field again.”

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Tshabalala, who will this week reflect on that famous goal against Mexico at FNB Stadium exactly ten years ago, also revealed where he could have been headed.  

“I had offers before lockdown to play overseas – there was interest in China, Italy and there was also interest in Turkey as well,” he said.

“After all of this, one has to sit down and think if I still want to go abroad or do I want to play here at home and end my career. But the decision will be a collective one with my family. It will be a decision that will favour my family as well, we will see about that.”

Story by @superjourno