Former Bafana Bafana captain Itumeleng Khune has paid tribute to his father for the sacrifices he made to support his football career.
Khune was speaking at the launch of Carling Black Label’s #MadeForChampions campaign and the screening of the Champion Short Stories series on Tuesday.
The event was held at the Saxon Hotel in Sandhurst, Johannesburg, and was hosted by television presenter Thomas Mlambo.
The Champion Short Stories initiative forms part of the brand’s efforts to bring the excitement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup closer to South Africans.
Khune on his father’s sacrifices
Khune said his father played a major role in shaping both the person he has become and his football career.
“My dad is a champion, and he has played a huge role in making sure that I become the person that I am today. I can also call myself a champ because of the sacrifices he has made for me,” he said.
He recalled how his family went without groceries for a month so that he could get his first pair of football boots.
“I remember the first time he had to buy me a pair of soccer boots, we had to sacrifice that one month of groceries at home, and I told them that mom, dad, brothers and sisters, the fact that we’re gonna go a month without food, I will not fail you. I will make sure that I make you proud,” he said.
He added that his father’s support enabled him to enjoy a professional football career spanning more than two decades.
“I managed to enjoy the footballing career for 20 plus years because of the sacrifices that my dad made along the way, and he is my champion,” he said.
Now a father of two daughters, Khune said he hopes to provide the same support to his children.
“What I wish for my two beautiful daughters is success, and obviously, as a parent, I am not going to force my kids and make decisions for them to say I want you to be like me and play Banyana Banyana,” he said.
“It will be their choice, and they will decide what they want to be. As a father, I just have to play my role and support them in everything that they want to achieve.”
Honouring an unsung hero
Khune also paid tribute to Ntate John Maimane, who features in Carling Black Label’s Champion Short Stories series.
Maimane has worked as a groundsman at Loftus Versfeld Stadium for 33 years.
The documentary series highlights the behind-the-scenes work by Maimane and his colleagues to prepare the pitch ahead of matches, particularly during the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosted in South Africa.
Reflecting on being featured in the documentary, Maimane said, “I never thought this would happen. I was shocked when the team came and told me about the project. They wanted me to talk about the work we did in 2010 during the FIFA World Cup.”
He also spoke about the demanding schedule they faced during the tournament.
“Most of the games used to run until 11pm, and we used to start work as early as 3am to 4am and prepare the ground for the next game,” he said.
Maimane was honoured with a gold plaque, which will be installed at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. Carling Black Label also announced that it would sponsor him to attend matches of his choice in South Africa.
Carling Black Label Brand Director Kerryn Greenleaf said Maimane’s story highlighted the contribution of often-overlooked individuals.
“We were shining a spotlight on a role that is often overlooked, an unsung hero. And so it was really important for my team and us that we went and told that story in a super authentic way,” she said.
“We worked with a team of expert storytellers to bring the story to life, and we’re really excited to share that with South Africa.”
