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Story Behind The Nickname: How Zwane became Mshishi

In this edition of Story Behind The Nickname, KickOff catches up with the man who discovered Bafana Bafana's two-goal hero Themba Zwane, about the player's nickname 'Mshishi'.

Football administrator Sinky Mnisi says former youth national teams coach Shakes Mashaba should be applauded for boosting Zwane's career.

The Mamelodi Sundowns star scored twice for Bafana in their 4-0 win over Namibia.

"He was given the nickname Mshishi due to his ability to dribble past a group of defenders," Mnisi tells KickOff. 

Themba Zwane
Themba Zwane

"He is called Mshishi because he is a dribbling wizard. From a young age, he was very skilful and tactical.

"He'd do things with the ball that are usually done by 24-year-olds. What you see now it's a replica of what this boy has been doing.

"And he loved the name, he never had any problem with it. 

"In terms of performance, the boy did well, and I'm proud because he is a former Vardos FC player and I'm the one who sold him to Sundowns," he added. 

Themba Zwane during the international friendly mat
Themba Zwane during the international friendly match between South Africa and Eswatini at FNB Stadium on October 13, 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

"He can still play for up to 40 years. He is a disciplined player, Rulani Mokwena is managing him very well, and his agent is playing a meaningful role.

"This boy has come a long way, but the most important person I want to thank is Shakes Mashaba.

"He is the man who gave the boy a breakthrough in the under-20 national team. Everybody needs to thank Shakes Mashaba.

"I remember Shakes asking me, 'this cow you want to bring here does he know how to play football?'

"Vardos spotted Mshishi at his former school. That's where we saw him. He was not even 16 years old," added Mnisi.  

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