Five things you might not know about Lyle Foster

Bafana Bafana striker Lyle Foster hit the headlines this week with his 8 million Euro move to English Championship side Burnley.

WATCH: Burnley release hilarious video to unveil Foster

The 22 year-old has a fantastic chance to play in the English Premier League next season with Burnley, who are at the top of the Championship, and looking good for promotion.

Here are five things you may not know about the former Orlando Pirates attacker.

1. A family affair

Lyle Foster is the cousin of Luther Singh, another South African attacking talent currently plying his trade in Europe. Singh is currently on loan from FC Copenhagen at Chaves in Portugal, with his move to Denmark yet to work out for the 25 year-old.

2. Orlando Pirates’ youngest goalscorer

Lyle Foster became the youngest player ever to hit the back of the net for the Buccaneers when he scored in the DStv Premiership against Polokwane City in January 2018, aged 17 years, four months and 16 days.

3. Olympic heartbreak

After scoring the decisive penalty in a shoot-out against Ghana in Cairo that ultimately qualified South Africa for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Foster was all set to lead the line for Amaglug-glug in Japan. In the end, however, Covid-19 intervened to delay the tournament by a year and then, in 2021, Foster was injured and unable to play for David Notoane’s side in Tokyo.

4. Palacios influence

Foster was selected to join the Pirates academy in 2012 after trials in Mayfair, and credited Augusto Palacios, the long-serving Pirates coach, for having a big influence on his development. Foster’s father, Lance Foster, is also credited for having a major influence on his career.

5. Multi-lingual and tough as nails

Foster hasn’t always had it easy in Europe, since signing for Monaco in France aged just 18. He never really broke into the Monaco first team, and didn’t have too much success in spells at Vitoria de Guimaraes in Portugal or Cercle Bruges in Belgium before he broke through at Westerlo.

“There have been difficult times but not ever once he said Aargh I’m coming back home,” his father Lance told snl24.com.

“He kept on pushing when things were not going his way … today he is fluent in both French and Portuguese … He has grown as a person. So now he’s going to be in a different and difficult league (at Burnley) so obviously it’s a new challenge for him.”