South African football great Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe will be laid to rest in a special provincial official funeral on Thursday November 28.
The former Pretoria Callies and Orlando Pirates player will be buried at the Lotus Cemetery in Tshwane and President Cyril Ramaphosa has approved a request for Moripe's funeral to be declared a Special Provincial Official Funeral, Category Two.
Popularly known as the “Football God,” Moripe died at the Kalafong Hospital in Tshwane on November 19 and has been eulogised as one of the men who changed the face of South African football.
A memorial service for the ‘dribbling wizard’ was held at Saulsville Arena in Atteridgeville on Tuesday November 26 ahead of his interment on Thursday.
When and where did Moripe play?
Moripe was a revered player who wowed fans with his football prowess in the 1970s and 1980s, earning the name “The God of football,” when he turned out for the Callies in the NPSL.
He started his career in 1971 with the Callies before he was crowned Player of the Year and Sportsman of the Year in 1973 after an impressive performance for the NPSL Invitation XI against a selected British All Stars XI.
He had a short stint in Hong Kong where he played for the Caroline Hill FC before he joined Orlando Pirates in 1981 but could not display his full potential as he was already suffering from a knee injury, which forced him to retire shortly after.
The 74-year-old was honoured in 2010 when the Atteridgeville Super Stadium was named Lucas ‘Masterpieces’ Moripe Stadium to celebrate him.
