‘I would have loved to play with Doctor Khumalo’: Roger Feutmba

Mamelodi Sundowns midfield great Roger “General” Feutmba has picked fellow legend Doctor Khumalo of Kaizer Chiefs as his toughest opponent and the player he would have most liked to play alongside during his career in the Premier Soccer League.  

Feutmba, who is widely regarded as one of the best foreigners to have played in South Africa, said he was forced to raise his game whenever he played against Chiefs midfield maestro Khumalo.

During their heyday, Feutmba and Khumalo were involved in numerous epic battles in the midfield and the Cameroonian said he enjoyed playing against the former Bafana Bafana star. 

“Though we were opponents, the competition between us was fantastic in the professional way of doing things. We have contributed hugely to South African football and inspired generations after us,” Feutmba said. 

“My toughest opponent was Doc Khumalo — playing against him, I would be forced to think a bit more than playing against another opponent.

“When I played against him I had to make sure I had the edge. I would have to think really hard if I wanted to dominate him because he was a clever player.” 

Feutmba — who won three successive league titles with Sundowns between 1999 and 2000 and helped the team reach the Champions League final in 2000, where they lost to Al Ahly — also spoke about his respect for Daniel “Mambush” Mudau and Joel “Fire” Masilela. 

Downs strikers Mudau and Raphael Chukwu scored many goals for Sundowns from the distribution of Feutmba and winger Masilela was one of the livewires for coach Ted Dumitru's team that ruled the roost in the early 2000s.