Years before taking South African PSL by storm, Knowledge Musona had to tear defence apart barefoot.
Growing up in a poor family meant that he had to play the game he so loved shoeless. At the back of his mind, he was determined to conquer his biggest odds.
His former Kaizer Chiefs teammate Thomas Sweswe tells the story of how poverty became Musona’s biggest push.
The retired Zimbabwean footballer recalls how the then 19-year-old teenager badly wanted to change the fortunes of his family.
Musona arrived at Kaizer Chiefs as a little-known attacker in 2009 but didn’t take long to show his lethal qualities.
Until today, most Kaizer Chiefs strikers fail to step out of Musona’s shadow in terms of precision and goalscoring. The Naturena-based side has struggled for years to find a lethal marksman.
WHY MUSONA ROSE TO BE A CULT HERO
And for Sweswe, Musona is a rare breed, just like Argentina skipper Lionel Messi.
“He was in a league of his own. Until now, I have never seen someone who plays like that.
“I put him in the same group as Lionel Messi in terms of talent. His background was the biggest motivation.
“We joined Kaizer Chiefs almost at the same time, and we stayed near each other, so as we talked, I realised that he came from a background that motivated him to fight for what he wanted,” Sweswe told FARPost.
PLAYING WITHOUT BOOTS
The former Dynamos defender Sweswe shared how Musona’s football career started, revealing how he would play without boots in his early days at Aces Youth Academy in Harare.
“Since we were neighbours in South Africa, we talked a lot, and he would tell me there was a time he would play without football boots.
“So, coming from a background of not having what you wanted, he grew to be a hard worker despite the fact that he had enormous talent.
“He came through Aces Youth Academy, but that was just a stepping stone because he was already ripe. He didn’t stay there for long.
“When you grow, with a number of problems, you are bound to rise and be the best at what you do.
“I was married when we joined Chiefs, but we would spend time with him and share notes, motivate each other. That also helped him to settle because he was only 19,” Sweswe added.
Soon after joining the Soweto giants, he won the Rookie of the Year award in 2010, despite the fact that he had played a few games.
Having coveted Lesley Manyathela’s golden boot at the end of the 2010/11 season after scoring 15 goals in 28 league games.
His impressive exploits helped him breakthrough into Hoffenheim in German, and he also had a brief loan stint at FC Augsburg in 2012.
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