Andries Maseko facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Andries Mfundisi Maseko | ||
| Date of birth | 25 December 1955 | ||
| Place of birth | KwaThema, South Africa | ||
| Date of death | 26 October 2013 (aged 58) | ||
| Place of death | Johannesburg, South Africa | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Harmed Stars | |||
| 1970–1971 | Moroka Swallows Ltd. | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1972–1983 | Moroka Swallows | ||
| 1978–1980 | Washington Diplomats (loan) | 21 | (1) |
| 1980–1982 | San Jose Earthquakes (loan) | 28 | (3) |
| 1982–1983 | Phoenix Inferno (futsal) (loan) | 18 | (1) |
| 1983–1985 | Benoni United | ||
| 1985 | Grinaker Rangers | ||
| National team | |||
| 1977 | South Africa | ||
|
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Andries "Six Mabone" Maseko (born 25 December 1955 – died 26 October 2013) was a famous South African football player. He was known as a great striker and played for teams like Moroka Swallows in South Africa and also in America.
Contents
Who Was Andries Maseko?
Andries Maseko was born in KwaThema, South Africa. His parents were Ephraim and Lettie Maseko. He became a professional football player in 1972.
Playing Football: A Star on the Field
Andries Maseko started his journey in football at a young age.
Joining Moroka Swallows
In 1970, when he was just 15 years old, Andries joined the famous team Moroka Swallows. Before that, he played for an amateur club called Harmed Stars.
Scoring 8 Goals!
One of his most amazing moments happened in 1974. During a match against Umlazi Citizens, Andries Maseko scored an incredible 8 goals! His team won the game 13-1 at the Sinaba Stadium. This was a huge achievement!
The "Massacres" Team
Andries was part of a special Moroka Swallows team. Many players on this team had surnames that started with 'M'. Because of this, they were sometimes called the 'Massacres'. Some of his teammates included Frederick Malebane and Trott Moloto.
Playing in America
In 1978, Andries Maseko moved to America to play for the Washington Diplomats. He was one of the few black South African players to play in the United States at that time. He played alongside other South African stars like Jomo Sono and Kaizer Motaung.
While playing for the Washington Diplomats, Andries even had a chance to be teammates with the legendary Dutch player, Johan Cruyff. Imagine playing with such a famous star!
Later, in 1982, he joined another American team, the San Jose Earthquakes. There, he played with another football legend, George Best.
Returning Home and Retirement
After his time in America, Andries Maseko had a short period playing futsal (a type of indoor football) for Phoenix Inferno. He then returned to South Africa. He played for Benoni United and Grinaker Rangers.
Sadly, Andries had to stop playing football at the age of 30. This was because of a serious groin injury. The injury made him limp for many years after. He once said that the injury was a big blow to his career. He felt he could have played for a few more years if it wasn't for that injury.
Playing for South Africa
Andries Maseko also played for the South African national team.
In 1977, he was part of the team that beat Rhodesia with a score of 7-0. This match took place at Rand Stadium in Johannesburg. He also played in a game where South Africa beat an unofficial team from Argentina by the same score, 7-0!
The night before that amazing game against Argentina, Andries and some of his teammates, including Jomo Sono and Patrick Ntsoelengoe, planned how they would play and even shared who would score the goals.
Family Life
Andries Maseko was married to Gladys Maseko. They had three children together.
His Passing
Andries Maseko passed away on 26 October 2013. He was 58 years old. He had been admitted to the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital a few days before.
His friend and former teammate, Banks Setlhodi, spoke kindly about him. Banks said that Andries was not only one of the best football players, but also a very humble and down-to-earth person. He was remembered as one of the greatest guys people had ever met.
