Phil Masinga facts for kids

Philemon Raul Masinga (born 28 June 1969 – died 13 January 2019) was a famous South African professional footballer. He played as a striker, which means he was a player who mainly tried to score goals. He also worked as a football manager for a short time.

Phil Masinga played for many different clubs from 1990 to 2002. He played in the top leagues in England for Leeds United and in Italy for Salernitana and Bari. He also played for clubs like Jomo Cosmos and Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa, and for St. Gallen in Switzerland and Al-Wahda in Abu Dhabi. He was a key player for the South Africa national team, playing 58 games and scoring 18 goals.

Phil Masinga's Club Career

Phil Masinga started his football journey in 1990 with Jomo Cosmos. After that, he moved to Mamelodi Sundowns, another big club in South Africa.

In 1994, he made a big move to England to play for Leeds United in the English Premier League. This was a very exciting time for him. His agent, Marcelo Houseman, helped make the deal happen, and another South African player, Lucas Radebe, also joined Leeds from Kaizer Chiefs at the same time. Masinga played for Leeds for two years, appearing in 31 games and scoring five goals. He even scored three goals in one game (a hat-trick) in an FA Cup match against Walsall in January 1995.

After his time in England, Masinga moved to Switzerland in 1996 to play for St. Gallen. Later, he played in Italy for Salernitana and Bari. In 2001, he almost returned to English football with Coventry City, but it didn't work out because he couldn't get a work permit. He then moved to Al Wahda FC in Abu Dhabi, where he finished his playing career.

Phil Masinga's International Career

Phil Masinga played his first international game for South Africa in July 1992 against Cameroon. This was a very special match because it was the first time South Africa played an international football game after being allowed back into international sports.

In 1992, during a qualifying match for the Africa Cup of Nations against Zambia, Masinga became the first South African player to be sent off (meaning he had to leave the field) in an international game. He was a very important part of the Bafana Bafana team. He helped South Africa win the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996, which was a huge achievement for the country. Two years later, in 1998, he was also part of the team that finished second in the same tournament, losing to Egypt in the final.

Fans often called him "Chippa." He scored a very important goal in 1997 against the Republic of the Congo. This goal helped South Africa qualify for the 1998 World Cup in France, which was a dream come true for many South African football fans. Overall, he played 58 games for his country and scored 18 goals.

Phil Masinga's Coaching Role

In 2006, Phil Masinga tried his hand at coaching. He briefly managed a South African football club called PJ Stars. This club was in the third division of South African football at the time, but it no longer exists.

Phil Masinga's Achievements

Phil Masinga won several important titles during his football career:

• Jomo Cosmos

* Nedbank Cup: 1990

• Mamelodi Sundowns

* National Soccer League: 1993

• South Africa National Team

* Africa Cup of Nations winners: 1996 * Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 1998

Phil Masinga's Passing

Sadly, Phil Masinga passed away on 13 January 2019. The president of the South African Football Association, Danny Jordaan, announced his death. Masinga had been in the hospital during the month before his death because he was battling cancer.

See also

In Spanish: Phil Masinga para niños

• List of African association football families