Phil Masinga, the former Leeds United striker who scored the goal that took South Africa to their first World Cup in 1998, has admitted he has financial problems.
Masinga, who has taken to living in the backroom of his late mother’s home in the Khuma township of Klerksdorp, held a garage sale of his footballing souvenirs – as well as mundane domestic items – last month amid widespread surprise in his hometown.
Masinga, who joined Leeds with Lucas Radebe in 1994, still boasts a website which proclaims him as running a football academy and being a 2010 World Cup ambassador.
There are no updates in the “news” section of http://www.philmasinga.co.za, beyond a label saying “busy, busy, busy”.
He lists Giorgio Armani and Kappa as his favourite designer labels.
At one point, Masinga lived in a mansion in Weskoppies near Klerksdorp, had a vast second home in Fourways and owned petrol stations, designer boutiques, a nightclub and a fleet of luxury cars.
But when asked by a Sunday World reporter if he was in trouble, “Chippa” – who scored the goal against the Congo in 1997 to see Bafana Bafana qualify for the World Cup in France – said: “So what if I have problems in my life? Who doesn’t have them?
“Tell me, what’s wrong with living in a township? Irvin Khoza is a millionaire and he stays in the township.”
And before slamming the phone down, the 41-year-old said: “Let me put it to you, if there are problems in my life I don’t need and I don’t want pity like Baby Jake Matlala.”
Masinga went through a bitter divorce with his wife Puleng in 2005 and was forced to pay maintenance for his two daughters.
He moved to a townhouse in Joburg but was evicted for failing to pay the rent.
He now lives with his brothers Ernest and Meshack in the family home in Khuma.
A resident in Khuma said of Masinga’s garage sale: “Besides the big items, even irons, toasters and kettles were on sale. Does this mean he is so desperate for cash?”
Masinga played 58 times for South Africa, scoring 18 goals. He started with Jomo Cosmos and Mamelodi Sundowns, before the £275 000 move to Elland Road.
While compatriot Radebe stayed and thrived, Masinga, after playing 31 games and scoring five goals, left Leeds following the arrival of Ghana’s Tony Yeboah in 1996.
He also spent time with St Gallen in Switzerland, Salernitana and Bari in Italy before playing for Al-Wahda in the United Arab Emirates Pro-League in 2002. – Staff Reporter