He came, saw and conquered Namibian football pitches with pride and confidence. Retired Hungry Lions Football Club shot stopper, Doobra protégé Isaac Basson, famously known as ‘Ou Les’ shortened for Lesley, was a beast between the sticks. Elder brother to the equally gifted goal poacher Justice Basson, the two brothers set the local football scene...
A product of the revered Swakopmund High School located on the banks of the gigantic Atlantic Ocean, Helmut Semel Horstempke started playing competitive football for the school’s senior football team demonstrating talent and maturity way belying his tender age. Horstempke was your typical modern-day box-to-box midfielder, possessing great technique on and off the ball. He...
Dear readers, please pardon me, my ageing fingers are trampling and shivering like a concertina player in a fired-up shuffling ‘Boere Orkes’ (Afrikaners live music band), as I’m brutally hammering the keyboards of my trusted blue laptop inking a fitting tribute to a great man of substance, Christo Alexander. Truthfully, the author got to know...
Born at Windhoek’s Old Location in 1952, Fanuel Ngatangue Tjingaete, famously known as ‘Fanie’ in social circles was always destined for greatness from day one. Growing up in harsh conditions at Windhoek’s Old Location, it was imperative for many young boys from the disadvantaged Bantu community to be streetwise. It was a life full of...
A proud product of the revered Rhenisch Herero School at Windhoek’s old location, Bro ‘Zoo’ was just like many young boys his age football crazy, the brother would play the game at the slightest provocation, be it in the streets, on the way to the local grocery shop or any available open space. In the...
Hold your horses ‘born-frees’. The name Klaus Linow might sound ancient but the former South West Africa (SWA) and Sport Klub Windhoek (SKW) stalwart will go down in history as one of the most decorated footballers of all time. Linow represented his motherland (Namibia) with great aplomb at Inter-Provincial level. He was in the starting...
Born and raised in South London, England in the United Kingdom (UK), Russell Parker started working for De Beers in 1982 in their London office, but was requested to do contract work in the then-South West Africa (SWA – Namibia). “I had always played amateur football from a young age, so when I arrived in...
History reveals that between 1988 and the 2000s, though a little unknown to many, the Gurirab bloodline brought something truly special to the domestic football scene. Brutally told in bold letters without fear or favour, the Gurirab brothers were like manna from Heaven. They were extremely gifted with natural skill, deep football intelligence, complimented by...
The Namibian Football Association (NFA) has issued an emotional and touching press statement, expressing sorrow while sending heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of the deceased, which reads as follows verbatim: “NFA is deeply saddened to announce the tragic passing of two esteemed match officials Andreas and Petrus following a catastrophic motor vehicle accident last...
Born Frederico Goncalves 1965 in Matadi, the chief seaport of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), capital of the Congo Central Province, adjacent to the border with Angola, young ‘Chicco’ was destined for greatness from the moment he stationed himself between the sticks. He started out with Kinshasa giants Mobari Football Club where he kept...