Former Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu FC defender Marc van Heerden announced his retirement from football, revealing his plans to immediately go into coaching.
The journeyman, who donned the jerseys of clubs including AmaTuks, Cape Town City FC, Stellenbosch FC, and Chippa United, has brought the curtain down on his playing career at the age of 36.
“I officially retire from the game that has given me everything,” said Marc van Heerden on Saturday evening as he ended his two-decade-long footballing journey. “I came into this game as a boy and leave as a man. 20 years on, and I start my coaching journey.”
Van Heerden began his professional football journey at the University of Pretoria, where he honed his skills as a defender. Before that, he played for the club’s juniors and the SuperSport United academy.
His performances at AmaTuks caught the eye of several top-flight clubs, leading to a move to AmaZulu in 2008, where he quickly established himself as a stalwart in the heart of the defence. Over two separate spells, he amassed a tally of over 140 appearances for the KZN outfit, scoring 12 goals and providing eight assists.
A subsequent move to Chippa further solidified his reputation as one of the PSL’s most potent left-footed players and dead-ball specialists.
VAN HEERDEN BRINGS DOWN CURTAIN ON 20-YEAR CAREER
The former Bafana Bafana international’s career reached a pinnacle when he secured a high-profile move to Orlando Pirates in the 2016/17 season.
However, the versatile player struggled for regular game time at the Buccaneers, making only seven appearances across two seasons. This led to a return to AmaZulu for his second stint with the club. His stay in KZN was brief, as he subsequently joined Stellenbosch before ending his PSL career with Cape Town City last season.
In a heartfelt statement, Van Heerden expressed his gratitude for the opportunities afforded to him throughout his career. He thanked his family, friends, coaches, teammates, and fans for their unwavering support.
“Thank you to my Angel, Mom, My Pops, My sister and brother and family who were there through it all. My kids for keeping me young. My wife and best friend. Mentor and agent, Mike Makaabfor all you did for me,” he said.
“The amazing players I had the privilege of competing with and against. To the coaches who gave their time to make this dream a reality. All the backroom staff that worked selflessly behind the scenes. Off-season, pre-seasons, Moments of glory, times of pain.
“The beautiful game made me who I am. Words won’t be enough but from the depth of my being, thank you to everyone who’s been there. Thank you to the fans who cheered, all the clubs I played for, AmaTuks, AmaZulu, Chippa, Pirates, Stellies, CT City.
“Representing my country, Bafana Bafana. I leave after giving my all. This is the end of this chapter and the beginning of a new one. Thank you for the beautiful game.”
Van Heerden narrowly missed reaching the 300-appearance milestone, ending his career just four games short of this significant achievement.
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