SEBOKENG.- Former Orlando Pirates Steve “Chippa” Lekoelea is still a household name in South African football.
It has been a while since he retired from the top flight football but everywhere he goes he is still idolised by the South African football fraternity.
Sedibeng Ster Sport went down memory lane with this former Orlando Pirates darling to reflect on his football career playing for Pirates, SA U/17 National Team SA U/20 National Team, SA U/23 National Team, and Bafana Bafana.
Lekoelea was one of the players from Sebokeng’s Two For Joy FC who turned professional in numbers.
Lekoelea will go down the history of South African football as the only player to wear jerseys No 10 and 110 after the legendary Jomo Sono. He told Sedibeng Ster Sport that this is something that many people are not aware of because they always focused on negative things.
Just like Jomo Sono, Lekoelea was also known as a free-kick specialist in the PSL era, and one of the memorable set piece he scored was against the English side, Tottenham Hotspurs when Orlando Pirates beat them 2-1 in an off-season-friendly match.
Lekoelea was part of the South African players who made history when the SA U/23 Men National Team beat the mighty Brazil 3-1 in the Sydney Olympics Games in 2000. He was on the score sheet as well to top his performance on the day.
Asked how he joined Moroka Swallows before moving to Orlando Pirates, Lekoelea told Sedibeng Ster Sport that Swallows officially spotted him playing for the Vaal Squad in the SAFA Inter Provincial Tournament at VUT. However, he spent only a season with Swallows after being persuaded by Orlando Pirates Chairman Dr Irvin Khoza to join his club.
This is where he made a name for himself as Orlando Pirates’ supporters’ darling, dazzling his opponents.
Lekoelea told Sedibeng Ster Sport that, there would never be a Pirates team that would match their team which consisted of Benedict “Tso” Vilakazi, Joseph “Duku Duku” Makhanya, Lebohang “Cheeseboy” Mokoena, Gift Leremi, Excellent Walaza and Phumudzo Manenzhe to mention but few.
Sedibeng Ster Sport can attest to this, this team once mesmerised Mamelodi Sundowns, and two of the Pirates players were sent off but still, they won the game.
“This was the best Pirates team and I don’t see any team that would match that team because we understood each other very well. This was the best Pirates team and we had a coach, Kosta Papic, who also believed in our talent.”
There were many memorable games I played not only for Orlando Pirates but also for SA junior national teams and Bafana Bafana. I was very fortunate to play for all the national teams and I will always cherish the moments for the rest of my life,” said Lekoelea.
Lekoelea said one of the highlights of his football career was when he mesmerised Kaizer Chiefs Captain Neil Tovey when he was playing for Moroka Swallows.
Lekoelea told Sedibeng Ster Sport, that he is about to complete a book about his football career.
