Phil Masinga hailed

Former Brave Warriors players have described Philemon 'Chippa' Masinga as a down-to-earth and a different type kind of South African footballer.

The Bafana Bafana legend passed away in a Parktown hospital in Johannesburg on Saturday morning after a long illness.

“I met him on various occasions and I can tell you he was just a different kind of person. Masinga did not play like an ordinary South African, who loves to showboat, but he was more of a different kind of player, with a style far from what the South Africans loved,” former Brave Warriors player and current national head coach Ricardo Mannetti said.

Mannetti heaped praise on Masinga for always keeping his head up, even when fans turned against him.

“There was a time that people were booing him for not playing tricky football. Masinga, however, continued to play the way he knew how to play, even if the crowd was sometimes against it.

“It is for this reason that he attracted interest from European clubs until he managed to sign for Leeds United,” Mannetti said.

Former Brave Warriors stalwart, Lolo Goraseb, who was a personal friend of Masinga, described him as a legend.

Goraseb and Masinga had both been actively involved in the Global United FC initiative, which had seen a team of soccer legends from around the world being formed.

Masinga was also part of Goraseb's testimonial match back in 2010.

“He was influential in the transformation of South African football and many people did not realise that until his passing.

“Masinga was a gentle giant who sacrificed his time just to show me around when I visited South Africa. “The only problem I have is that people only tend to praise you when you are gone, but they will never do it while you are alive,” Goraseb said.

He urged football associations to plan for footballers after they are done with their playing careers.

Another former Brave Warriors player, Robert Nauseb, who never played against Masinga even if they were from the same era, expressed his admiration for the late striker.

Nauseb emphasised the importance of Masinga not forgetting where he came from, even when he was playing in Europe.

“I never played against him, but we did meet on several occasions, and I can say he was a guy with a good sense of humour.

“He was very different from the rest, because even when he signed for Leeds, he remained humble and always remembered home.

“Masinga never forgot the challenges many South Africans faced and that is why he always lent a helping hand to those in need of advice and many other things,” Nauseb said.

Another Brave Warriors great, Johannes 'Congo' Hindjou, said Masinga's passing is a great loss to Africa, given the talent he had.

Hindjou, who was part of the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Brave Warriors squad, outlined some of the qualities he saw in Masinga.

“He was part of the Bafana Bafana squad when we played them in Burkina Faso and also here in Windhoek.

“Masinga was not a skilful player, but he had two strengths which made him a very lethal striker.

“He could hit the ball with incredible power and his aerial presence was also something to admire.

“I met Masinga at various social events and I can say he was a very humble person,” Hindjou said.

He also felt that one of the people who is hurt the most about losing Masinga is South African soccer legend Jomo Sono.

“Every time I met Sono, he would speak so highly of Masinga because he was the one that brought him up there.”

Masinga was admitted at a Tshepong hospital in Klerksdorp last month and was later moved to Parktown.

The lanky 49-year old earned more than 50 caps for Bafana and it was his scintillating goal from 30 yards against Congo that saw South Africa making their first appearance at the Fifa World Cup in 1998.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa