Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Siyabonga Ngezana shared an interesting tidbit from his early career, revealing that he initially played as a striker for the Orlando Pirates academy.
The 27-year-old, who spent six years at Chiefs before moving to Romanian giants FCSB in 2023, has quickly become a standout player, winning the SuperLiga in his debut season.
In a conversation on the Soccer Beat podcast, Ngezana explained how his journey in South African football began. “I was playing amateur football for Future Stars in Soweto before I tried out for Orlando Pirates. That’s where my football journey started, and I progressed to play for their academy,” he said.
He further shared how he transitioned to Kaizer Chiefs after being released by Pirates. “I initially played as a striker at Pirates. During the trials in Sebokeng, I was registered as a centre-back but failed my first trial due to the short 15-minute window to showcase my skills. When they held another trial in Mayfair, I decided to try my luck as a striker, given my height, because there were so many defenders and midfielders,” Ngezana added.
His strategy paid off, as he was selected to join Pirates’ academy team, but after the season ended, he was released and then joined Kaizer Chiefs. At Amakhosi, Ngezana began as a striker before eventually making the switch to centre-back, where he earned his promotion to the first team.
