Short description
Joe Latakgomo combines historical fact with striking anecdotes to bring the stories and characters of South African Soccer to life. A veteran sports journalist, the book is in many ways a personal account of his experiences and encounters with players and administrators.
Long description
Joe Latakgomo combines historical fact with striking anecdotes to bring the stories and characters of South African Soccer to life. A veteran sports journalist, the book is in many ways a personal account of his experiences and encounters with players and administrators.
Mzansi Magic intercepts the ball at the first soccer game played between British soldiers stationed in South Africa in the late 1800's. Then it is dribbled through the decades all the way to the world cup in 2010. It even includes a chapter on the use of muthi in the game. Lastly the book also shows how the struggle against apartheid played out on the soccer field and in the fight by black soccer organisations to be recognised by FIFA.
Table of contents
Contents include:
The gods of football (Jomo Sono, Lucas "Masterpieces" Moripe, Ace Ntsoelengoe).
How players got their nicknames.
The birth of Amakhosi, Bucs and Swallows.
Bafana and their coaching woes.
South Africa's 2006 and 2010 world cup bid.