Lucas Radebe

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Lucas Radebe

|image = Lucas radebe cropped.JPG

|image_size = 200

|caption = Radebe in 2011

|fullname = Lucas Valeriu Ntuba Radebe{{Hugman|16272|access-date=7 November 2019}}

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|4|12|df=y}}

|birth_place = Soweto, South Africa

|height = 1.80 m{{Cite web |title=Lucas Radebe: Overview |url=https://www.premierleague.com/players/886/Lucas-Radebe/overview |access-date=7 November 2019 |publisher=Premier League}}

|position = Centre back

|currentclub =

|youthyears1 = |youthclubs1 = Diepkloof Wolf Wanderers

|youthyears2 = 1987–1988 |youthclubs2 = ICL Birds

|youthyears3 = 1989 |youthclubs3 =Kaizer Chiefs Juniors

|years1 = 1989–1994 |clubs1 = Kaizer Chiefs |caps1 = 113 |goals1 = 5

|years2 = 1994–2005 |clubs2 = Leeds United |caps2 = 201 |goals2 = 0

|totalcaps = 314 |totalgoals = 5

|nationalyears1 = 1992–2003 |nationalteam1 = South Africa |nationalcaps1 = 70 |nationalgoals1 = 2

| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{fb|RSA}}}}

}}

Lucas Valeriu Ntuba Radebe OIS (born 12 April 1969) is a South African former professional footballer who played as a centre back.

He began playing in the than known Bophuthatswana Soccer league (BOPSOL) playing for Stocks Birds in Lehurutshe closer to Zeerust(North West Provence) before being scouted by Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa, before transferring to Leeds United, where he played 262 matches for the Yorkshire side. During his spells at these clubs, he picked up the nicknames "Rhoo" and "The Chief". He became captain of Leeds United and also of the South African national team, most notably at 2002 FIFA World Cup. Nelson Mandela said of Radebe: "This is my hero." He also captained Kaizer Chiefs during his time at Chiefs.

Early life

Radebe was born to Emily and Johannes Radebe in the Diepkloof section of Soweto, near Johannesburg, as one of 11 children.{{Cite web |last=Makhaya |first=Ernest |date=12 April 2020 |title=From troubled beginnings to icon: Kaizer Chiefs and Leeds United legend Lucas Radebe |url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/troubled-beginnings-to-icon-kaizer-chiefs-and-leeds-united/m1p4x0bgw7jw1s6dt4b3aheqs |access-date=27 March 2021 |website=Goal}}{{Cite web |last=Hay |first=Phil |date=19 May 2020 |title=Radebe: Sometimes I don't believe it, that it was my name Mandela used |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1820161/2020/05/20/lucas-radebe-nelson-mandela-south-africa-leeds-interview/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=27 March 2021 |website=The Athletic}}{{Cite news |title=Lucas Radebe – Footballer |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/dna/place-lancashire/plain/A29265555 |access-date=23 March 2011 |archive-date=11 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111132529/http://news.bbc.co.uk/dna/place-lancashire/plain/A29265555 |url-status=dead }} He attended the local Bopasenatla Secondary School{{Cite web |title=Radebe donates computers to school |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/radebe-donates-computers-to-school-40213 |access-date=9 April 2019 |website=Independent Online |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Sheena |date=23 February 2007 |title=Radebe relives high school life |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/radebe-relives-high-school-life-316409 |access-date=27 March 2021 |website=Independent Online |language=en}} until he was 15 years old. His parents sent him to one of the former homelands in Grade 10, Bophuthatswana, as a way to keep him safe from the violent neighbourhood of Diepkloof Zone Four in Soweto. There he attended Ngotwane High School near Zeerust.

Club career

=Kaizer Chiefs=

After playing for amateur side ICL Birds in the now-defunct Bophuthatswana Soccer League, and was spotted by Patrick Ntsoelengoe who recruited him to one of South Africa's top clubs, the Kaizer Chiefs, in 1989. Radebe originally started his career with the Kaizer Chiefs as a goalkeeper, and then switched positions to central midfield and then finally to central defence.{{Cite news |title=Lucas Radebe – World-class footballer |work=Gauteng Tourism |location=Gauteng |url=http://www.gauteng.net/guide/gauteng_personalities/lucas_radebe/}}

=Leeds United=

In 1994, Radebe and another South African player, Philemon "Chippa" Masinga, moved to Leeds United for a transfer fee of £250,000. Radebe was only included in the deal to keep Masinga happy; as it turned out, he became the more valuable investment.{{Cite news |title=Lucas Radebe: The Chief |url=http://www.southafrica.info/about/sport/greats/radebe.htm#.UMErbqw9YrU#ixzz2EJm2KrmA |url-status=dead |access-date=6 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204131009/http://www.southafrica.info/about/sport/greats/radebe.htm#.UMErbqw9YrU |archive-date=4 December 2013}}

Initially the move was not a success; Radebe did not agree with then Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson, and suffered injuries which prevented him for earning a regular first team place.

Radebe returned to the goalkeeper position in March 1996, replacing John Lukic in the position after he suffered an injury in the second half of a defeat to Middlesbrough.{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Jordan |date=4 April 2016 |title=Remembering Leeds' most notable goalkeeping performance from a defender following Giuseppe Bellusci's cameo |url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/04/04/remembering-leeds-most-notable-goalkeeping-performance-from-a-de/ |access-date=27 March 2021 |website=HITC |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Mewis |first=Joe |date=7 November 2019 |title=The story of Lucas Radebe's goalkeeping heroics at Man United |url=https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/remembering-lucas-radebes-brilliance-forced-14541072 |access-date=27 March 2021 |website=LeedsLive |language=en}} Radebe would again play in the goalkeeper position the following month when goalkeeper Mark Beeney was sent off for handling the ball outside his area in the 17th minute against Manchester United. Radebe was brought on as a substitute in place of Mark Ford, and despite Leeds losing 1–0, Radebe earned 'cult-hero' status at the club due to his performance.

However, when Wilkinson was replaced by George Graham, his career flourished and Radebe was made captain of the team for the 1998–99 season. Whilst he was captain, Leeds enjoyed a period of relative success; in the 1998–99 season, they finished fourth in the FA Premier League, qualifying for the UEFA Cup. During the 1999–2000 season, Leeds finished third in the Premier League and qualified for the following season's Champions League, where they eventually reached the semi-finals. During this time, Radebe turned down the chance to move to Manchester United, AC Milan and Roma. Alex Ferguson commented at the time, "Everyone should be interested in Lucas."{{Cite news |last=Hay |first=Phil |date=20 September 2010 |title=Leeds United: Lucas Radebe interview |work=Yorkshire Evening Post |location=Leeds |url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/leedsunited/Leeds-United-Lucas-Radebe-interview.6539872.jp |access-date=20 September 2010}}

In 2000, he was awarded the FIFA Fair Play Award.{{Cite news |title=Lucas Radebe to receive the FIFA Fair Play Award for 2000 |url=https://www.fifa.com/ballondor/archive/edition=1999902000/news/newsid=75593/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121222170227/http://www.fifa.com/ballondor/archive/edition=1999902000/news/newsid=75593/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 December 2012}}

However, in 2000 Radebe sustained serious knee and ankle injuries, which kept him out of the game for almost two years, and subsequently found it difficult to regain his form and his place in the team.

International career

Following the end of apartheid, Radebe made his debut for South African national team in their first international match on 7 July 1992 against Cameroon.{{Cite web |last=Gleeson |first=Mark |date=6 July 2017 |title=What happened to the 12 men who played for Bafana in that first game 25 years ago? |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2017-07-06-what-happened-to-the-12-men-who-played-for-bafana-in-that-first-game-25-years-ago/ |access-date=27 March 2021 |website=TimesLIVE |language=en-ZA}}

Having recently recovered from a long-term knee injury, he was a member of the South African team that won the 1996 African Cup of Nations.

Radebe was also the captain of the South African national football team during both the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. South Africa failed to reach the knockout stages on both occasions; however Radebe did get on the score sheet in 2002.

He earned 70 caps for South Africa and scored two goals during his international career, with his last match being against England on 22 May 2003.

After retiring, Radebe was influential in South Africa's successful bid to host the 2010 World Cup. He could also be seen working as a pundit for South African television, and during ITV's coverage of the tournament.

Style of play

Thebe Mabanga, a Mail & Guardian journalist, wrote that South African fans remember Radebe in his Kaizer Chiefs days as "a lanky, flamboyant central midfielder who switched to central defence with ease, snuffing out any opposition threat with exquisite, acrobatic scissor kicks and diving headers, and man-marking the most lethal strikers into silence".{{Cite web |last=Brad Morgan |title=Lucas Radebe: The Chief |url=http://www.southafrica.info/about/sport/greats/radebe.htm#.UsERMl2t-o8 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204131009/http://www.southafrica.info/about/sport/greats/radebe.htm#.UsERMl2t-o8 |archive-date=4 December 2013 |access-date=4 March 2014 |publisher=Southafrica.info}}

Post-playing career

File:Lucas Radebe in South Africa.jpg

At the end of the 2005 season, Radebe retired from professional football. Leeds held a testimonial for Radebe at Elland Road on 2 May 2005 attended by a crowd of over 37,886. Radebe also held a retirement match in Durban, South Africa between a South African Invitation XI and Lucas Radebe All Stars at Kings Park Soccer Stadium. The proceeds from both of these matches were combined with other money raised and donated to charity.

On 28 August 2006, Radebe announced that he was going back to Leeds after failing to secure a job with the World Cup hosts to be involved in the set-up of Bafana Bafana. He said he was "tired of waiting for unreliable people" who had allegedly promised him a role in the national team set up as the South African Football Association prepared to host the next World Cup in 2010.{{Cite web |date=28 August 2006 |title=Radebe quits South Africa |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/5293614.stm |access-date=27 March 2021 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}

In 2008, a local Leeds brewery asked for suggestions for a new beer; the most popular suggestion was Radebeer, showing the Leeds fans' admiration of Radebe.{{Cite web |date=8 April 2008 |title=Cheers Lucas! |url=https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/11006/cheers-lucas |access-date=27 March 2021 |website=leedsunited.com |publisher=Leeds United F.C. |language=en}}

On 8 October 2009, The English Football Association announced Radebe as an ambassador to help boost the 2018 World Cup bid.

A biography, Lucas: From the Streets of Soweto to Soccer Superstar by Richard Coomber was published in 2010.{{Cite book |title=Lucas Radebe: From Soweto to Soccer Superstar: Amazon.co.uk: Richard Coomber: Books |id={{ASIN|1905080735|country=uk}}}}

In May 2010 he won the PFA Merit Award for his contribution to football.{{Cite web |date=8 October 2009 |title=Radebe recognised at PFA awards |url=http://www.kickitout.org/1105.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120429172424/http://www.kickitout.org/1105.php |archive-date=29 April 2012 |access-date=4 March 2014 |publisher=Kickitout.org}}

During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Radebe was a pundit for ITV's match coverage and also a columnist for The Daily Telegraph.

Radebe revealed in September 2010 that he would like to manage Leeds United in the future and also manage the South African national side. He said both jobs were the only coaching jobs that he would consider.{{Cite news |date=24 September 2010 |title=Leeds only club for me – Radebe |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leeds_united/9029942.stm}} In July 2012, it was announced that Radebe had accepted a position as team manager with the South African national side.{{Cite news |date=2 July 2012 |title=SAFA's master-stroke: Lucas Radebe returns as Bafana team manager |work=Neal Collins |url=http://neal-collins.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/safas-master-stroke-lucas-radebe.html}}

In October 2013, Radebe announced that he was set for another emotional return to the Elland Road ground at Leeds, to be presented to the crowd on Sunday, 30 October 2013.{{Cite web |date=8 October 2013 |title=Leeds legend Radebe set for emotional return to Elland Road |url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-utd/leeds-legend-radebe-set-for-emotional-return-to-elland-road-1-6125881 |access-date=4 March 2014 |website=Yorkshire Post}}

On 23 January, it was confirmed that Boxer Josh Warrington would fight IBF world champion Lee Selby (26–1) in his first world title fight on 19 May at Elland Road with Radebe joining Warrington for the ringwalk.{{Cite news |date=30 January 2018 |title=Venue for Lee Selby vs Josh Warrington announced |language=en-US |work=Boxing News |url=http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/venue-for-lee-selby-vs-josh-warrington-announced/ |url-status=dead |access-date=9 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142420/http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/venue-for-lee-selby-vs-josh-warrington-announced/ |archive-date=12 June 2018}}{{Cite news |date=23 January 2018 |title=Date set for Lee Selby vs Josh Warrington |work=Boxing News |url=http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/date-set-for-lee-selby-vs-josh-warrington/ |url-status=dead |access-date=9 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180510050906/http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/date-set-for-lee-selby-vs-josh-warrington/ |archive-date=10 May 2018}} On 19 May, Warrington secured a split-decision victory over Selby to claim the title. With Radebe as part of Warrington's ringwalk and band Kaiser Chiefs also played songs at the event.{{Cite web |title=BoxRec |url=http://boxrec.com/en/event/762276/2214237 |access-date=30 May 2018 |website=boxrec.com}}

Personal life

In 1991, he was shot whilst driving with his brother Lazarus to buy drinks for his mother but was not critically wounded. When Leeds United confirmed their interest in 1994, Radebe's decision influenced in part by an incident that had taken place three years previously.

Radebe was shopping for his mother, accompanied by his brothers, one of his sisters and her baby. While walking, they heard a gunshot, but didn't pay it much attention because, says Radebe: "In Soweto you heard shots all the time". He felt a pain in his back and he was bleeding, and his left leg went limp.

Radebe was rushed to hospital but nothing vital had been damaged. The bullet had entered his back and exited halfway down his thigh. The culprit is still unknown, it is suspected that someone was hired to shoot him rather than allow him to switch clubs.{{Cite news |title=The Wounded Chief |publisher=Sky Sports |url=http://www.socceram.com/story/0,21644,13873_6421474,00.html}}

He was voted 54th in the Top 100 Great South Africans in 2004.

His wife Feziwe died of cancer in October 2008.{{Cite news |date=23 December 2008 |title=Radebe recovers after heart scare |publisher=BBC Sport |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/7798076.stm |access-date=23 December 2008}} In December 2008, Radebe was treated for a heart complaint after collapsing while at the gym. Radebe married his second wife at the end of 2015.{{Cite web |title=Lucas Radebe says 'I Do' – SundayWorld |url=http://www.sundayworld.co.za/lifestyle/2015/12/20/lucas-radebe-says-i-do |access-date=30 December 2015 |website=www.sundayworld.co.za}}

Legacy

Kaiser Chiefs, a British indie/britpop band, whose members are all Leeds United supporters, chose this name because Radebe is a former player of Kaizer Chiefs.{{Cite news |date=April 2005 |title=Interview: Kaiser Chiefs |work=Music OMH |url=https://www.musicomh.com/features/interviews/interview-kaiser-chiefs |access-date=19 July 2012}}

Radebe has been an ambassador of FIFA for SOS Children's Villages; he also received the FIFA Fair Play Award in December 2000 for his contribution in ridding soccer of racism as well as for his work with children in South Africa.

In April 2003, for recognition of his efforts both on an off the field, Radebe was given the Contribution to the Community Award in the Premier League 10 Seasons Awards.

On an official visit to Leeds, Nelson Mandela said of Radebe: "This is my hero."{{Cite news |last=Shaw |first=Phil |date=28 April 2005 |title=Lucas Radebe: The original Kaiser Chief |work=The Independent |location=London |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/lucas-radebe-the-original-kaiser-chief-6147312.html |access-date=4 September 2017 |archive-date=19 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219021653/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/lucas-radebe-the-original-kaiser-chief-6147312.html |url-status=dead }}

Career statistics

:Sources: Soccerbase{{Cite web |title=Lucas Radebe |url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=6543 |access-date=26 July 2015 |website=Soccerbase}}

:::lucasradebe.com{{Cite web |title=Leeds Stats |url=http://lucasradebe.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Leeds-United-and-Lucas-Stats1.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305035401/http://lucasradebe.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Leeds-United-and-Lucas-Stats1.pdf |archive-date=5 March 2016 |access-date=26 July 2015 |publisher=lucasradebe.com}}

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|FA Cup !colspan="2"\|League Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental{{Ref\|n2\|2}} !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Kaizer Chiefs{{Ref\|n1\|1}}	1990–94	National Soccer League (South Africa)									113	5
rowspan="12"\|Leeds United	1994–95 \|Premier League	12	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	14	0
1995–96 \|Premier League	13	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	14	0
1996–97 \|Premier League	32	0	3	0	1	0	0	0	36	0
1997–98 \|Premier League	27	0	2	1	4	0	0	0	33	1
1998–99 \|Premier League	29	0	3	0	1	0	3	0	36	0
1999–2000 \|Premier League	31	0	2	0	2	0	11	2	46	2
2000–01 \|Premier League	21	0	1	0	1	0	10	0	33	0
2001–02 \|Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2002–03 \|Premier League	19	0	4	0	0	0	3	0	26	0
2003–04 \|Premier League	14	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	15	0
2004–05	Championship	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
colspan="2"\|Total !201\|\|0\|\|16\|\|1\|\|12\|\|0\|\|27\|\|2\|\|256\|\|3
colspan="3"\|Career total !colspan="2"
\|colspan="2"
\|colspan="2"
\|colspan="2"
\|369	8

{{Note|n1}} More detailed statistics for Kaizer Chiefs games for this period are not available.
{{Note|n2}} "Continental" includes UEFA Cup and Champions League appearances.

=International=

National team	Year	Apps
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year{{NFT player\|10338\|access-date=27 March 2021}}
rowspan="11"\|South Africa \|1992	5	0
1993	5	0
1994	5	0
1996	9	0
1997	11	1
1998	13	0
1999	7	0
2000	7	0
2001	1	0
2002	6	1
2003	1	0
colspan="2"\|Total	70	2

:Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first.

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ List of international goals scored by Lucas Radebe{{Cite web \|title=South Africa - International Matches 1996-2000 \|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf-intres2000.html \|access-date=9 April 2019 \|website=RSSSF}}{{Cite web \|title=South Africa - International Matches 2001-2005 \|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf-intres2005.html \|access-date=9 April 2019 \|website=RSSSF}}
scope="col"\|No. !scope="col"\|Date !scope="col"\|Venue !scope="col"\|Opponent !scope="col"\|Score !scope="col"\|Result !scope="col"\|Competition
align="center"\|1 \|{{dts\|17 December 1997}} \|King Fahd II Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia \|{{fb\|URU}} \|align="center"\|1–0 \|align="center"\|3–4 \|1997 FIFA Confederations Cup
align="center"\|2 \|12 June 2002 \|Daejeon World Cup Stadium, Daejeon, South Korea \|{{fb\|ESP}} \|align="center"\|2–2 \|align="center"\|2–3 \|2002 FIFA World Cup

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Lucas Radebe{{Cite web |title=South Africa - International Matches 1996-2000 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf-intres2000.html |access-date=9 April 2019 |website=RSSSF}}{{Cite web |title=South Africa - International Matches 2001-2005 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf-intres2005.html |access-date=9 April 2019 |website=RSSSF}}

scope="col"|No.

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Opponent

!scope="col"|Score

!scope="col"|Result

!scope="col"|Competition

align="center"|1

|{{dts|17 December 1997}}

|King Fahd II Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

|{{fb|URU}}

|align="center"|1–0

|align="center"|3–4

|1997 FIFA Confederations Cup

align="center"|2

|12 June 2002

|Daejeon World Cup Stadium, Daejeon, South Korea

|{{fb|ESP}}

|align="center"|2–2

|align="center"|2–3

|2002 FIFA World Cup

Honours

Kaizer Chiefs

National Soccer League: 1989, 1991, 1992

Leeds United

Football League Cup runner-up: 1995–96{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/milosevic-gives-villa-a-touch-of-magic-1343925.html |title=Milosevic gives; Villa a touch of magic |website=The Independent |date=25 March 1996 |access-date=2 April 2024}}

South Africa

African Cup of Nations: 1996{{Cite web |title=African Nations Cup 1996 - Final Tournament Details |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/96a-det.html |access-date=27 March 2021 |website=RSSSF}}

References

External links

{{NFT player}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20090609070249/http://tv.oneworld.net/article/view/149986 A short documentary following Lucas back to his home town in Umlazi Township]

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Category:1969 births

Category:Living people

Category:1996 African Cup of Nations players

Category:1998 African Cup of Nations players

Category:2000 African Cup of Nations players