FIFA President Gianni Infantino was at the FNB Stadium in South Africa over the weekend to witness one of Africa’s oldest derbies, the ‘Soweto Derby’ between Orlando Pirates FC and Kaizer Chiefs.
It was a charged atmosphere at Soccer City as thousands of football lovers trooped in to catch a glimpse of the long awaited clash.
CAF President Mr. Patrice Motsepe, and Mr. Danny Jordaan, President of the South African Football Association (SAFA) were also at the event to also grace the occasion.
Mr. Infantino, speaking in an interview said “A full house, incredible crowd. I had forgotten how emotional this stadium is, but also in the city. I mean, I was seeing this morning, when I arrived, everyone was looking forward to this game. So, it’s a great game, great atmosphere, great passion, incredible, incredible fans.”
He noted that the rivalry between the two sides had been beneficial in growing the love for football in South Africa and the world at large.
He showered praises on the leadership of the South African Football Association for the good work done.
Orlando Pirates defeated Kaizer Chiefs by a lone goal in the Soweto Derby.
How the Soweto Derby was formed
The rivalry between the two teams, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs does not just take effect on the field of play, but extends into homes, workplaces and all aspects of life in the city of Johannesburg.
The journey began when Kaizer Motaung, a former Orlando Pirates player left the club after getting a contract to play for Atlanta Chiefs, a team in the North American Soccer League.
Upon his return, he noticed that there were some misunderstandings among the leadership of Orlando Pirates, so then he decided to form his own club called Kaizer XI, which later became Kaizer Chiefs.
He faced lots of setbacks and opposition but still kept his head up to assemble some committed footballers and administrators who helped in building a solid foundation by reaching over 14 million supporters throughout the country.
The introduction of Kaizer Chiefs spark up a rivalry between the side and Orlando Pirates following how the club held Kaizer Motaung in high esteem.
The first meeting saw Orlando Pirates emerge victors with a 6-4 win over Kaizer Chiefs.
Today, the derby is recognised as one of the biggest derbies in Africa, as the two teams have faced each other 105 times.
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