Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Bennett Mnguni has revealed that former Real Madrid star Zinedine Zidane once asked him for his shirt after he marked him out of the game.
Mnguni started his career at Masandawana before moving to Russia, where he had stints with Lokomotiv Moscow and Rostov.
It was during his time in Lokomotiv that Mnguni and his team met Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, with the South African scoring a goal in a 2-2 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The retired 48-year-old now recalled the day when he silenced the Bernabeu and even had 1998 Ballon d’Or winner Zidane to ask him for his shirt.
“After the game, Zidane came to me asked for my jersey and he said to me, ‘no one has ever outplayed me’,” Mnguni told Thabiso Mosia on MetroFM Sport.
“He asked what is your name and where are you from and why are you playing in Russia? I got the jersey of Ronaldo [Nazario], Zidane, [Roberto] Carlos and [Iker] Casillas.
“I said to Zidane that I’m from South Africa and he asked what am I doing in Russia and why am I playing there.
“I said I’m there to work. He was very impressed with me. I knew with Zidane I had to be first man on the ball and that was the only way.”
Mnguni returned to South Africa after a stint with Tianjin Teda, playing for Downs, AmaZulu and Thanda Royal Zulu before again going abroad to join Okktha United in Myanmar in 2008.
However, after one season in Myanmar he hung up his boots.
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