ORLANDO Pirates goalkeeper Brilliant Khuzwayo has been forced into early retirement due to “medical incapacity.”
The 29-year-old was battling to overcome a career threatening ankle injury he suffered during pre-season when joined the Mayfair club in 2018.
His prolonged absence from that injury has forced him to call time on his career.
He was recently withdrawn from Pirates’ Carling Black Label Cup starting line-up against his former team Chiefs over the weekend at the 11th hour.
He was later omitted from the 31-man first-team squad numbers list released by the club on Monday, further casting doubts on his future at the club.
The former AmaZulu shot stopper’s unfortunate retirement was finally confirmed by both parties on Bucs’ website.
“It was a great feeling to come back to the club, unfortunately due to my ankle, I was unable to fulfil my dream,” Khuzwayo was quoted as saying.
“I am a person who always wants to perform knowing I can give my all in everything I do however due to my ankle and after consultation with the specialists it was said that I wouldn’t be able to play at an elite level.
“For this reason I can no longer continue the way I wanted to.
“I would like to thank all the supporters who have been behind me from the day I joined this club. They were the main reason behind my motivation and drive to get better. They’ll always hold a special place in my heart. To management, especially the Chairman, thank you for all you have done for me.”
Khuzwayo, who was signed from arch rivals Kaizer Chiefs at the beginning of last season, didn’t play a single match for the first team in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
The former AmaZulu goalie’s intentions for boarding the Buccaneers ship was to play regularly after spending six seasons, playing second fiddle to Mzansi’s number one, Itumeleng Khune, at Amakhosi.
During his career, Khuzwayo won two league titles, the MTN 8 and the Nedbank Cup, all during his spell at Naturena.
His last appearances in the PSL was on 12 May 2018 in the colours of Amakhosi against Ajax Cape Town.
The Umlazi-born shot-stopper was part of Shakes Mashaba’s Bafana Bafana’s disastrous Afcon 2015 squad in Equatorial Guinea that failed to win a single match in the group stages.
