Former Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns star José Torrealba has backed the PSL's two newest Venezuelan recruits to succeed in the South African top-flight.
More than a decade after playing his last match for Kaizer Chiefs, José Torrealba remains Venezuela's most successful export to South African football after starring for the Amakhosi and rivals Mamelodi Sundowns during his playing career.
Rafael Dudamel, Gustavo Páez and José Meza are among the others from the South American country to have also featured in the South African top-flight and the list has now grown following the recent closing of the January transfer window.
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Cape Town City bolstered their squad with the acquisition of Darwin González from Deportivo La Guaira while high-flying Stellenbosch FC completed a deal to sign Juan Carlos Ortiz, who starred for Monagas in the Venezuelan Primera División last season.
Speaking to snl24.com/kickoff, ex-Venezuela international Torrealba has backed the duo to enjoy great success in the DStv Premiership and offered up some sage advice from his own experience of leaving Venezuela for South African shores.
"Both of them have everything necessary to succeed in South Africa," the 41-year-old said. "Experience, quality, speed, and they both can score goals.
"My advice to them would be to understand that, as foreigners in South Africa, they must be different. They must give more than their teammates, both inside and outside of the pitch, and be hard workers.
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"It is very important to be physically and mentally strong to keep up with the number of games and to keep themselves free from injuries. Give everything in every training session, in every match, and the days things aren't going well, they must cover it with the physical effort shown.
"There will always be a higher level of demand on foreign players. If they understand this and manage to do all of this, for sure they are going to be great in the PSL. I wish them both the greatest success."
Scroll through the gallery to see the eight South American stars currently playing in the PSL this season