Football
Nick Said, Special to ESPN 7y

Picking an all-time Kaizer Chiefs-Orlando Pirates XI

Trying to compare players across eras is a near-impossible task with so many factors to consider, but ahead of their Carling Black Label Cup meeting on Saturday, KweséESPN takes a stab at an all-time Kaizer Chiefs-Orlando Pirates Combined XI.

GARY BAILEY (KAIZER CHIEFS)

Goalkeeper Bailey was a stalwart of Manchester United for nine seasons in which he made 294 appearances for the side between 1978 and 1987.

He won two FA Cup titles, but returned to South Africa, where he was raised, before United's boom time under Alex Ferguson.

He signed for Chiefs in 1988 and played three seasons before injuries took their toll.

Later United legend Peter Schmeichel claimed that Bailey was his favourite keeper of all time.

SIZWE MOTAUNG (KAIZER CHIEFS/ORLANDO PIRATES)

A rampaging full-back who was a star for club and country, Motaung played for both Chiefs and Pirates before his death in 2001 aged just 31.

He also had spells in Switzerland and Spain, and was part of the Bafana Bafana side that lifted the 1996 African Nations Cup title.

He was a solid defender, but perhaps excelled as a wing-back in joining the attack.

LUCAS RADEBE (KAIZER CHIEFS)

'The Chief' is still a cult hero at English side Leeds United, who he captained during their successful years in the late 1990s.

Radebe was also a fine skipper for his country at two World Cups and played for Chiefs with distinction before being snapped up by Leeds in 1994. He made 201 appearances for the Yorkshire club and is still much loved at Elland Road.

He actually started as a central midfielder before switching to centre-back, where he would become one of the most accomplished defenders to emerge from the African continent in the last 25 years.

MARK FISH (ORLANDO PIRATES)

Fish won the African Champions Cup with Pirates in 1995 and the following year moved to Lazio in Italy.

That stay was short-lived, but he found success in England with Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic before injuries took their toll on his career.

A versatile player, he spent four seasons at Pirates after joining from Jomo Cosmos and was also a crucial part of that Bafana side that lifted the Nations Cup.

Picking a combined Kaizer Chiefs-Orlando Pirates XI today

DAVID NYATHI (KAIZER CHIEFS/ORLANDO PIRATES)

A skillful left-back who also had a fine footballing brain, Nyathi spent one season at Pirates and had two spells with Chiefs, though he is probably not best remembered much for either.

He won a League and Cup 'Double' with Cape Town Spurs in 1995, and also played in Switzerland, Turkey, Spain and Italy.

He was a Nations Cup winner in 1996.

DOCTOR KHUMALO (KAIZER CHIEFS)

The player who holds the record for the most starts for Kaizer Chiefs (397), Khumalo is truly a legend of both the club and South African football.

He had silky skills on the ball, could pick a pass and weight in with his fair share of goals too.

Never blessed with pace, he instead used his football intelligence and guile to be a highly effective performer.

A Nations Cup winner with Bafana Bafana.

JOHN 'SHOES' MOSHOEU (KAIZER CHIEFS)

Moshoeu had two spells with Chiefs either side of a successful decade spent in Turkey, where he turned out for giants Fenerbahce, among others.

Moshoeu was remarkable in that he kept playing top-flight football into his 40s and still rarely had a bad game.

He could control the tempo of matches and always used the possession he had wisely.

Shoes was a Nations Cup winner in 1996 and passed away from cancer in 2015 aged 49.

PULE 'ACE' NTSOELENGOE (KAIZER CHIEFS)

One of the greatest South African players ever, Ntsoelengoe was a giant of the South African game and surely one of the greatest players ever produced by South Africa.

He played for 17 years at Chiefs between 1971 and 1988, mixed in with various spells in the North American Soccer League (NASL).

Official records are not available, but it is claimed he played 542 games for Chiefs (not all official), scoring 250 goals.

He died of a heart-attack in 2006 aged 54.

KAIZER MOTAUNG (KAIZER CHIEFS/ORLANDO PIRATES)

Motaung started out as the darling of Orlando Pirates, but would later break away to form his own club, naming it Kaizer Chiefs after the Atlanta Chiefs, who he played for in the (NASL).

An accomplished striker, he scored goals wherever he went and was a key part of the early success of Chiefs when he formed the club in 1970.

He had previously made his debut for Pirates aged 16.

BENNI MCCARTHY (ORLANDO PIRATES)

McCarthy, arguably the greatest striker South Africa has ever produced, played two seasons for Pirates at the end of his career and in that time the club won three trophies.

He played his part in that success, chipping in with goals and leadership on the field. Not the pacey forward of old any more, he made up for that with skill and never lost his unerring finishing ability.

McCarthy won the UEFA Champions League with FC Porto, among 11 titles he won in Europe having also turned out for Ajax Amsterdam, Celta Vigo, Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United.

JOMO SONO (ORLANDO PIRATES)

The son of another Pirates stalwart Eric Sono, tragically killed in a car accident when Jomo was eight, Sono became a legend at Pirates after earning his debut when one of the players failed to turn up at a game in which he was a spectator.

He never looked back and is also remembered for his successful spell in the NASL, where he served as understudy to Brazilian legend Pele at New York Cosmos.

He later formed his own club, Jomo Cosmos, where he remains owner and coach today.

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