When did Lucas Radebe started playing football?

Answer 1

Radebe was born in the Diepkloof section of Soweto, near Johannesburg, as one of eleven children. When he was 15 years old he was sent to the "bantustan" of Bophuthatswana by his parents in order to keep him away from the violence that was affecting Soweto during the apartheid era.

In order to keep himself busy during his stay in Bophuthatswana, Radebe played football as a goalkeeper.

Radebe was spotted and signed by Kaizer Chiefs as a midfielder. In 1991 he was shot while walking down the street, though he was not critically wounded. The motive for the shooting never became clear, but Radebe himself believes that someone had been hired to shoot him in order to prevent him from moving to another club.

Partially motivated by the shooting incident and at the request of his FIFA agent Marcelo Houseman, Lucas and another South African player, Philemon "Chippa" Masinga, moved to Leeds United in 1994 after a meeting between then Manager of Leeds Howard Wilkinson and Marcelo Houseman; Radebe was sold by the Kaizer Chiefs for £250,000.

Radebe became a star player for Leeds and was nicknamed "The Chief" or "Rhoo" by its fans partly due to his previous club and partly his absolute rule in defence. In recognition of his leadership and ability, Radebe was appointed captain of the team for the 1998/99 season.