Lesley Manyathela
{{Short description|South African soccer player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Use South African English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Lesley Manyathela
| image =
| fullname = Lesley Phuti Manyathela
| height =
| birth_date = 4 September 1981{{cite web|url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/lesley-manyathela/235134/|title=L. Manyathela|website=Soccerway|accessdate=22 May 2019}}
| birth_place = Musina, South Africa
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2003|8|9|1981|9|4}}
| death_place = Musina, South Africa
| position = Striker
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Chelamoya
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = Dynamos
| years1 = 2000–2003
| clubs1 = Orlando Pirates
| caps1 = 73
| goals1 = 48
| nationalteam1 = South Africa
| nationalyears1 = 2002–2003
| nationalcaps1 = 9
| nationalgoals1 = 3
}}
Lesley Phuti Manyathela (4 September 1981 – 9 August 2003) was a South African professional soccer player who played as a striker for Premier Soccer League club Orlando Pirates and the South African national team.
A prolific goalscorer, Manyathela scored 48 goals in 73 appearances for Orlando Pirates and was the league's top goalscorer in 2003. Later that year, he was involved in a car accident which resulted in his death, aged 21. Following his death, the PSL award for the top goalscorer was renamed the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot in his honour and the national team temporarily retired the number 19 jersey which he had previously worn.
Club career
Having represented Chelamoya and Dynamos at youth level, Manyathela joined Orlando Pirates with whom he made his senior debut in September 2000, at the age of 19.{{cite news|url=https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/he-would-have-been-30-on-saturday-1132660|title=He would have been 30 on Saturday|publisher=Independent Online|date=7 September 2011|accessdate=29 April 2018|last=Nyathi|first=Siphiwe}}{{cite news|url=https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/sport/soccer-player-manyathela-dies-in-car-crash-527756|title=Soccer player Manyathela dies in car crash|publisher=Independent Online|date=10 August 2003|accessdate=29 April 2018}} During the 2001–02 PSL season, he ended the campaign as the league's second top goalscorer behind Ishmael Maluleke.{{cite news|url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Safa-retires-Lesleys-jersey-20030814|title=Safa retires Lesley's jersey|publisher=News 24|date=15 August 2003|accessdate=17 May 2018}} The following season, he claimed the Golden Boot award, becoming the second and, to date, most recent Pirates player to win the award, and helped the club to its second league title in three seasons.{{cite news|url=http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/orlando-pirates-striker-ndoro-hopeful-of-winning-psl-golden/1q4kkz3hw1vcb1giutt2kwxazw|title=Orlando Pirates striker Ndoro hopeful of winning PSL Golden Boot|publisher=Goal|last=Ditlhobolo|first=Augustine|date=17 May 2017|accessdate=29 April 2018}} His domestic form caught the attention of a host of European clubs and at the end of the season he underwent trials with Ligue 1 side Lyon and Greek side OFI Crete. On 9 August 2003, he scored a consolation goal in a 2–1 Supa 8 loss to Jomo Cosmos. The goal proved to be his last, though, as following the match, he died.{{cite news|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/humble-lesley-scores-his-last-goal-245866|title=Humble Lesley scores his last goal|publisher=Independent Online|last1=Mkhwanazi|last2=Kgosana|last3=Mamabolo|first1=Siyabonga|first2=Caiphus|first3=Matshelane|date=11 August 2003|accessdate=29 April 2018}} He ultimately made 73 appearances for the club and scored 48 goals.{{cite news|url=https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/local/categories/stangen/standard-general-7/282134|title=Remember When 'Slow Poison' Left Opposition Defenders Bamboozled?|publisher=Soccer Laduma|date=18 October 2017|accessdate=5 June 2018}}
International
Manyathela represented South Africa at under-20 level, where he scored once in five appearances, and at under-23 level where he scored six goals in 13 appearances.
He made his senior debut for South Africa against Saudi Arabia on 20 March 2002. Seven days later, he received his first and only red card when he was sent off in a 4–1 friendly loss to Georgia.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/3141759.stm Pirates mourn Manyathela]{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/3020877/Estonia-humble-Russia-on-day-of-surprises.html|title=Estonia humble Russia on day of surprises|work=The Guardian|last=Parry-Cook|first=Simon|date=27 March 2002|accessdate=17 May 2018}} His first goal came in a friendly against Madagascar in March 2003 which he followed up with a brace in a 3–1 win over Trinidad & Tobago in June.{{cite news|url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/1659/south-africa/2009/08/27/1464657/south-africa-line-up-madagascar-friendly|title=South Africa Line Up Madagascar Friendly|publisher=Goal|date=27 August 2009|accessdate=17 May 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/sport/trinidad-and-tobago-pay-the-penalty-526454|title=Trinidad and Tobago pay the penalty|publisher=Independent Online|date=14 June 2003|accessdate=17 May 2018}} After his death later that year, the South African Football Association temporarily retired the number 19 jersey which he had worn during his time with the national team. He had scored 3 goals in 9 international appearances by the time of his demise.
Death & legacy
On 9 August 2003, following a match against Jomo Cosmos, Manyathela was killed in an accident after his car overturned on the N1 highway near his hometown of Musina. It was reported that the airbags in the Volkswagen Golf Mk4 that he was driving did not deploy as a result of him not wearing his safety belt.{{cite news|url=https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/fan-park/update/update/5826|title=Cars Named After PSL Stars Involved In Accidents|publisher=Soccer Laduma|date=10 October 2015|accessdate=17 May 2018}} He was driving with a friend at the time of the accident, who suffered only minor injuries, Manyathela was pronounced dead at the scene and was en route to visit his mother for Women's Day celebrations.
His death was considered a national tragedy and drew comment from South African President Thabo Mbeki who offered his condolences to the family, friends and teammates of Manyathela. He was laid to rest on 16 August 2003 with Orlando Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza and Mamelodi Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe among those acting as pallbearers.{{cite news|url= https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Slow-Poison-laid-to-rest-20030816|title='Slow Poison' laid to rest|publisher=News 24|date=16 August 2003|accessdate=17 May 2018}} His tombstone was unveiled the following month, on the day of South Africa's national Heritage Day.
Ahead of the 2003–04 Premier Soccer League season, the award for the top goalscorer in a season was renamed the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot and the Musina municipality also named the local football stadium after him in his honour.
Career statistics
=International=
{{updated|match played 14 June 2003}}{{cite web|url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/13349/Lesley_Manyathela.html|title=Lesley Manyathela - National Football Teams|website=National Football Teams|accessdate=17 May 2018}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="2"|South Africa
|2002 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 4 | 3 | |
| colspan=2|Total||9||3 |
==International goals==
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%;"
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition | ||||||
| 1. | 29 March 2003 | First National Bank Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa | {{fb|MAD}} | 2–0 | Win | Friendly |
| 2. | 14 June 2003 | Basil Kenyon Stadium, East London, South Africa | {{fb|TRI}} | 2–1 | Win | Friendly |
| 3. | 14 June 2003 | Basil Kenyon Stadium, East London, South Africa | {{fb|TRI}} | 2–1 | Win | Friendly |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{NFT player|pid=13349}}
{{Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot Award}}
{{Portal bar|Association football|Football in Africa}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manyathela, Lesley}}
Category:People from Musina Local Municipality
Category:South African Venda people
Category:South African men's soccer players
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Orlando Pirates F.C. players
Category:Road incident deaths in South Africa
Category:Dynamos F.C. (South Africa) players
Category:Soccer players from Limpopo