At one point, former Orlando Pirates left-back Lucas Thwala was the best left-back in the Premier Soccer League.
At his peak, the former Bafana Bafana star did just not defend at the back but also scored crucial goals for the Buccaneers. A tough and great tackler, Thwala excelled in the air despite his height and was Pirates leading goal scorer in the 2009/10 season.
He was named the 2009 PSL Player of the Season despite his club not winning silverware that season.
With Tsepo Masilela being the first-choice left-back for the country leading to the 2010 World Cup, Lucas Thwala was surprisingly selected to start ahead of the ex-Maccabi Haifa star in Bafana’s opening WC match against Mexico.
Thwala was substituted for Masilela at half-time after the ex-Orlando Pirates star struggled to contain El Trio’s winger Giovanni Dos Santos. The Mexican had a free pass on the left side and was unlucky not to have put the North Americans in front.
Lucas Thwala was Pirates leading goal-scorer at some point
After the World Cup, the national team continued with Masilela, but Thwala lost his place not only in the national team but also in Bafana. The former Pirates coach chose to play Ruben Cloete at left-back, which meant there was no place in the team for the Nelspruit-born star.
Injuries forced him to leave the Buccaneers but things did not improve when he joined SuperSport United in 2012. An ankle injury forced Lucas Thwala into retirement at just 33.
Speaking to Soccer Laduma last year, the former left-back said he has been unemployed since he retired from football. He said he had been helping his community keep fit but has not brought him income.
“I am helping people with aerobics. I have been doing it for six years now… for free,” Thwala told Snl24.
“I can’t charge people because if I do, the municipality will also charge me for using the hall. I just do it to help the community; I am not working and I have no income.
I don’t know what more to do, we are not recognized as ex-players. There is no way I can’t fit [in] at any position in sports both at the provincial level and local municipality,” he said.
Injuries halted Lucas Thwala’s career and if he had stayed fit, he might have won another treble with the Buccaneers. Add another three or four years to his career, he might have left the game at 36 or 37 with extra money.
Did Thwala reach his potential as a baller?
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