Back in 1995, the most symbolic moment in South African sport - and one of the most well-known images globally - occurred when Francois Pienaar lifted the Rugby World Cup alongside the country's first post-Apartheid president Nelson Mandela, who was dressed in the Springbok jersey at Ellis Park Johannesburg.
Watching from the stands that day was then-South African soccer captain Neil Tovey and less than a year later, the former AmaZulu, Durban City and Kaizer Chiefs defender would do the exact same as Pienaar by lifting the Africa Cup of Nations trophy aloft on home soil with Mandela wearing the Bafana Bafana jersey.
Just four years earlier, Tovey had captained South Africa as they emerged from the international sporting wilderness as they took on the mighty Cameroon in their first official game after the end of Apartheid.
Tovey, who has since become the South African Football Association technical director, joined me on this week's Team 33 to look back at playing in the domestic league during the Apartheid era, his role in the 1996 Cup of Nations triumph, how he missed the team's first ever FIFA World Cup adventure two years later, and what they are trying to implement in order to bring the current national team back to prominence after a fallow period.
You can listen to the full interview on the podcast player below or on iTunes as well as the video player above:
Also this week, I was joined by Killian Woods, Cian Roche, Enda Coll and Ciaran Bradley to look at the fallout from an eventful week in the Ireland camp:
Apart from Gary Neville and Arsenal Fan TV founder Robbie Lyle, recent interviews on Team 33 include former Man United cult hero Andrei Kanchelskis, ex-England international Carlton Palmer, former Newcastle and Everton left back Alessandro Pistone, Chelsea legends Bobby Tambling and Paddy Mulligan, Dutch legend Johan Neeskens, ex-England striker Darius Vassell, Liverpool legend David Fairclough, former Ireland midfielder Mark Kinsella, USA captain Eric Lichaj and former Everton forward Tomasz Radzinski. Plus our in-depth chats with Tony Coton, Packie Bonner, Nobby Solano, Ron Atkinson and Alan Curbishley are still available on iTunes. You can find them all in one place by subscribing to Team 33 on iTunes.
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