Phil Masinga

Philemon Masinga is an international footballer and former South African soccer player for Jomo Cosmos and Mamelodi Sundowns. He was born in Klerksdorp on June 28, 1969. He grew up playing for Jomo Cosmos, He played for South African major league with Mamelodi Sundowns and then left for England to play for Leeds United.

He played for the English Premiership for two years, playing 28 games and scoring five crucial goals. Masinga played ten games in Switzerland with San Gallo and then moved to Italy to play for Salernitana, scoring four goals in 16 games.

In 1996 Masinga was in the Bafana Bafana side when it won the African Cup of Nations final and when the South African team finished second to Egypt in the 1988 African Cup of Nations. “Chippa” as he is affectionately known scored the goal in the 1997 game against Congo that proved decisive because it took Bafana Bafana to the 1998 World Cup in France.

Masinga had represented South Africa in 58 International Games Scoring 18 goals. In 2003 he was named one of the South African Bid 2010 ambassadors. South African fans are faithful to Masinga and also has a considerable following, being widely regarded as one of the best South African strikers of all time.