A former Premier Soccer League star might have indirectly announced his retirement from playing the game of football.
Ex-Orlando Pirates, Mpumalanga Black Aces and AmaZulu FC dribbling wizard Thabo Qalinge seems to have given up on playing the game professionally at the age of 32.
By accepting the invitation to take part in the Celtic-Gauteng legends game, the dribbling wizard appears to have indirectly announced his retirement from playing.
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The event, which is sponsored by Concerned Parents Campaigns, will be played on April 27, 2024, at the Dr. Petrus Molemela Stadium.
The Celtic Legends team has the likes of David Modise and Benjamin Reed, while the Gauteng outfit has Lucas Radebe, Williams Okpara and Qalinge, amongst others.
According to a teammate of Qalinge's on the Gauteng side, the Mofolo-born star has finally accepted his fate in the game he loves so much.
"The legends from Gauteng will be facing the Bloemfontein Celtic legends," an insider tells KickOff.
"'Section 10' [as he is affectionately known] is part of the Gauteng Legends team. Once you see someone's name listed in these legends' teams, then you must know his football career is over.
"Everybody that will be playing in this game has retired, including Lebogang 'Cheeseboy' Mokoena. It's over, it's 90 minutes already.
"Every player knows when it's time to quit, your body tells you when it's tired.
"Football has changed a lot, it's no longer the same. Even coaches have changed.
"In football, nobody retires prematurely, but you retire because it was meant to be. We take part in the legends' games because we want to show the current generation how good we were in our days, we don't do it to keep fit.
"So, if you are here, it means you have retired. Only retired players are allowed to take part in such games.
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"Retirement has nothing to do with age, you retire because your time is up. So, Qalinge is part of us now former players."
Qalinge has never kicked a football since he was released by AmaZulu FC in 2023.
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