When Zitha Kwinika took to the field to replace the injured Aden McCarthy, Miguel Inacio was there, passing him the captain’s armband with a gesture full of trust.
McCarthy had to be replaced just after the half-hour mark due to injury in Amakhosi’s 1-0 win over Richards Bay FC in the Betway Premiership at FNB Stadium in Soweto on Tuesday night.
Following Yusuf Maart’s departure, which saw him join Austrian side SV Ried, Inacio has been leading Amakhosi. In his second season at the club, the Angolan defender seemed a natural choice when Maart was sold to the Central European outfit.
Therefore, his act to hand over the armband to Kwinika would have come as a surprise to many. The 31-year-old defender, Kwinika, whose contract was extended in June, has not seen much action.
Last season, he played only six matches, including the final of the 2025 Nedbank Cup against Orlando Pirates. All his appearances came at the end of the season due to injuries to key players like Inacio, Rushwin Dortley and Given Msimango.
This season, the former South Africa Under-23 international is yet to start a match, with his substitute appearance on Tuesday his only appearance in the new 2025/26 season. But why did Miguel Inacio give the former Stellenbosch FC captain the armband?
WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND INACIO GIVING KWINIKA THE ARMBAND
Interestingly, during pre-season, Amakhosi head coach Nasreddine Nabi confirmed Inacio would “continue as captain for the season”.
A teammate close to the defender revealed that his decision was made out of respect and honour for Kwinika.
“Miguel has great respect for Zitha as one of the senior players on the team,” the teammate told FARPost. “He is aware of Zitha’s history with the club, having risen through the youth ranks.
“Additionally, Zitha is a key figure in the dressing room, even when he isn’t a regular starter. He is very vocal, leads by example, and consistently displays an elite attitude. Therefore, Miguel did it out of respect.”
He went on to praise Inacio for being a “unifier in the dressing room.”
Kwinika rejoined his boyhood club, Chiefs, in July 2022 after a successful stint at Stellenbosch FC. A graduate of the Chiefs youth academy, Kwinika left the club in 2016 to gain experience with Chippa United, Thanda Royal Zulu, Bidvest Wits, and Stellenbosch.
His standout performances at Stellenbosch earned him the title of Player of the Season and led to his return to Amakhosi. In his first season back, he made 28 appearances, followed by 18 appearances in his second season.
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