Steven Pienaar has spent a large part of his life in Europe and it now seems that he has been immortalised in the streets of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Here's a look!
The story
Some former South African footballers have made a big name for themselves away from the shore of Mzansi, with the likes of former Bafana captain Lucas Radebe and ex-striker Sibusiso Zuma regarded as true icons in the towns of Leeds in England and Copenhagen in Denmark respectively.
It appears that they are now not the only ones who have the keys to a European city, as Skillo is now also recognised as a legend in parts of Amsterdam.
The 41-year-old was recently featured in a video by, JAXI AMSTERDAM, recognising his journey from the streets of Joburg to becoming an "Amsterdammer". Despite only representing Ajax Amsterdam for five years between 2001 and 2006 before cementing his place as an Everton great, Pienaar is clearly revered in Holland, where he now permanently resides with his family.
Did you know?
Pienaar endured a really tough upbringing his his hometown Westbury in Jozi and has previously revealed he had to survive gang violence during his formative years, as well as apartheid.
Asked about his growing up in his hometown by The Mirror in 2010, he said: “One thing that sticks in my mind is watching television sitting on the floor. We had a couch, but I wasn’t allowed on it, because you never knew when a bullet was going to come flying in through the window.
“If you were on the floor, you were below the level of the glass and safe. If you were on the couch, you were taking your life in your hands, and there were stories of people who had been hit by stray bullets.
He added: “Apartheid was still around as well. I had some experience of it myself, because I can remember going to some shops with friends and being shot at with daisy guns.
“They fired small ballbearings, and you knew about it when they hit. It brought you out in a big red bruise, and the people firing knew that. They were trying to do us as much harm as possible, and they were doing it for one reason only. Because we were coloured."
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