South Africa’s inspirational defensive lynchpin Lucas Radebe will be fit for the World Cup and will wear the captain’s armband, coach Jomo Sono said on Monday.
The Leeds United star played his first competitive match for 15 months on Monday, lasting the full 90 minutes against a determined Scotland.
”I was very impressed with Lucas tonight,” said Sono after his team’s 2-0 victory.
”I’ve put my head on the block for him but I knew that if he played a few games he would come through them. He is such a good player and very inspirational.”
Sono thinks so highly of the central defender that he has restored the skipper’s armband to Radebe’s sleeve.
”If he is fully fit for all the games then Lucas will be my World Cup captain,” said Sono.
Goalkeepers Hans Vonk and Andre Arendse have also been in the running for the honour.
Recurring ankle and knee injuries have limited Radebe’s appearances for his English Premiership club to a couple of recent reserve matches and a testimonial game for defender Gary Kelly.
He came through a friendly victory over Madagascar in Durban but only played the second half.
The 33-year-old Radebe succeeded Neil Tovey as captain of Bafana Bafana in 1997 and was a permanent fixture in the team until sidelined by injury.
His last competitive appearance for South Africa was in a World Cup qualifying victory over Burkina Faso in the north-west town of Rustenburg in January last year. – Sapa-AFP