'Today marks a very sad day': Ex-Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs midfielder announces shock retirement

Former Bafana Bafana, Ajax Cape Town, Cape Town City and Kaizer Chiefs forward Lebogang Manyama has called time on his career at the tender age of 32.

A persistent knee injury has cruelly cut short his illustrious career. Having been sidelined since March 2022, Manyama parted ways with Chiefs last year, and despite nearing a return to his former club Cape Town City, he remained without a team.

The inability to recover from a knee ailment has now been confirmed as a consequence of a misdiagnosis, leading to a gut-wrenching conclusion to Manyama's football playing career, which also included a spell in Europe with Turkish Super Lig side Konyaspor.

Throughout his professional football career spanning 12 seasons, Manyama accumulated an impressive record of 320 appearances, during which he netted 55 goals and provided 39 assists.

He is also the recipient of the 2016/17 PSL Footballer of the Year and collected the PSL Players' Player of the Season six years ago.

"After being miraculously misdiagnosed with MCL and meniscus tears when in fact I had torn my ACL [and] made it worse whilst rehabilitating the wrong places, today marks a very sad day for me as I have to call time on my football chapter as a player," Manyama posted on social media.

"It's one I take with my head held up high because never did I think I would be so blessed to showcase my talent [and] meet so many wonderful souls along the way and for that I want to thank my family for the undying support from when I was a little boy kicking about in Alex."

"Thanks to all the junior teams I played for ... in Alex N @ Balfour park football club secondly I would like to thank @map__gamesalex @cmaphalla @therealpitsomosimane for the opportunity @Fc Alex without you there's no