The chance encounter that landed Sibusiso Zuma at FC Copenhagen
Just over two decades ago, a twist of fortune saw Danish giants FC Copenhagen swap their pursuit of Zimbabwean superstar Benjani Mwaruwari for the untested Sibusiso Zuma.
“Rhee”, as he’s widely known in football circles, began his professional career at African Wanderers in 1995. The club was plying its trade in the South African second-tier at the time.
Partnering with Siyabonga Nomvethe and Phumlani Mkhize upfront, Zuma helped Wanderers gain promotion to the top-flight in 1997.
The Soweto giants, Orlando Pirates seized an opportunity to snap him up when his club was relegated at the end of the 1997/98 campaign. He was only going to turn out for the Sea Robbers for two seasons as his career was on an upward trajectory.
Recalling how he ended up switching to Copenhagen, Zuma says the Danish outfit was in SA for a pre-season. It appears they were also scouting Benjani Mwaruwari who was in the books of Jomo Cosmos at the time.
However, as the Byens Hold players were watching the Buccaneers’ clash with Umtata Bush Bucks on TV, they were left impressed by the astonishing displays of the then-energetic Sibusiso Zuma.
They did all to convince the manager to follow up on the forward. Zuma subsequently signed for the club in 2000 and went on to have an illustrious five-year career in the Superliga.
SIBUSISO ZUMA ON HOW A MOVE TO COPENHAGEN CAME ABOUT
“You know Benji [Benjani Mwaruwari] is a very close friend of mine, so we spoke about this and I didn’t know that when I went there they were scouting him,” said Zuma in an interview with FARPost.
“My move happened when FC Copenhagen was in South Africa in Port Elizabeth for pre-season. And they saw me playing, we were playing against Umtata Bucks in Eastern Cape and the game was Live.
“So, the players saw me and they spoke to the manager that we saw this player and we need to try and track him down. I had no idea that they were scouting Benji.”
Meanwhile, a year after Zuma switched to Europe, Mwaruwari earned a move to the Swiss club Grasshopper Club Zürich.
He later relished stints with Premier League clubs like Manchester City, Portsmouth, Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers.
‘MAYBE IT WAS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE’ FOR MWARUWARI
Zuma believes missing the Copenhagen move was a “blessing in disguise” for Mwaruwari.
“Me and Benji, we used to laugh about it but he went on to England and played for Manchester City,” he added.
“So, maybe it was a blessing in disguise [for him].”
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