Jacob Lekgetho
Encyclopedia
Jacob Bobo Lekgetho was a South Africa
n footballer
who played as a left back
during the 1990s and 2000s
and began playing professionally with Moroka Swallows FC in 1995. He went on to make 155 appearances for the club before leaving for Russia's
FC Lokomotiv Moscow
in 2001. He helped the club win the league title in 2002
, but returned to South Africa
in 2004 following the death of his wife.
He was capped 25 times for the South African national team
, making his international debut in a 1-0 win over Malta
in May 2000 and playing his last match for Bafana Bafana in a 3-0 World Cup Qualifying
defeat to Ghana
in Kumasi
on June 20, 2004. He was a member of the squad at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
in South Korea and Japan where he came on as a substitute in the 3-2 defeat to Spain
.
website reported that Lekgetho had been killed in a car accident in Cape Town
. Other media such as gazeta.ru, Sport-Express
, and Regnum
picked up the story. On February 20, Rusfootball published the refutation, confirming that the information was false.
, aged 34, after a lengthy battle with an undisclosed illness. According to Sport-Express the illness was AIDS
.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played as a left back
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
during the 1990s and 2000s
Career
Lekgetho was born in the Moletsane area of SowetoSoweto
Soweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
and began playing professionally with Moroka Swallows FC in 1995. He went on to make 155 appearances for the club before leaving for Russia's
Russian Premier League
The Russian Premier League , currently called SOGAZ Russian Football Championship due to sponsorship reasons, is the top division of Russian football. There are 16 teams in the competition...
FC Lokomotiv Moscow
FC Lokomotiv Moscow
The following years were rather successful as Lokomotiv were consistent in the national championships. However, performances after World War II suffered and actually in the space of five year Lokomotiv were relegated to the Soviet First League twice. In 1951, Lokomotiv came second and eventually...
in 2001. He helped the club win the league title in 2002
Russian Premier League 2002
2002 was the first season of the Russian Premier League. While the structure of the competition did not change, the top level clubs gained independence from the Professional Football League.Spartak's six-year dominance in the league was broken by Lokomotiv....
, but returned to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 2004 following the death of his wife.
He was capped 25 times for the South African national team
South Africa national football team
The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
, making his international debut in a 1-0 win over Malta
Malta national football team
The Malta national football team is the national football team of Malta and is controlled by the Malta Football Association. Malta played its first international game in February 1957, and began competing for qualification to major tournaments in 1962. The side's first competitive victory came in...
in May 2000 and playing his last match for Bafana Bafana in a 3-0 World Cup Qualifying
2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)
Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for Africa. 51 teams took part , competing for 5 World Cup places.The qualification was composed of two Rounds...
defeat to Ghana
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
in Kumasi
Kumasi
Kumasi is a city in southern central Ghana's Ashanti region. It is located near Lake Bosomtwe, in the Rain Forest Region about northwest of Accra. Kumasi is approximately north of the Equator and north of the Gulf of Guinea...
on June 20, 2004. He was a member of the squad at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
in South Korea and Japan where he came on as a substitute in the 3-2 defeat to Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
.
Honors
- Russian Premier LeagueRussian Premier LeagueThe Russian Premier League , currently called SOGAZ Russian Football Championship due to sponsorship reasons, is the top division of Russian football. There are 16 teams in the competition...
: 2002Russian Premier League 20022002 was the first season of the Russian Premier League. While the structure of the competition did not change, the top level clubs gained independence from the Professional Football League.Spartak's six-year dominance in the league was broken by Lokomotiv....
, 2004Russian Premier League 2004Lokomotiv won their second Premier League title, while Krylya Sovetov finished in the top three for the first time, winning bronze. Kuban were relegated after just one season in the Premier League. They were joined by Rotor who played at the top level since the beginning of the Russian league.- Top... - Russian Super CupRussian Super CupThe Russian Super Cup is a one-match football annual competition. Its official sponsored name is TransTeleCom Russian Supercup . The two participating clubs are holders of the Russian Premier League champions title and the Russian Cup...
: 20032003 Russian Super CupThe 2003 Russian Super Cup was the 1st Russian Super Cup match, a football match which was contested between the Russian Premier League 2002 champion, Lokomotiv Moscow, and the winner of Russian Cup 2001-02, CSKA Moscow. The match was held on 8 March 2003 at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Moscow, Russia... - Russian Cup (football) : 2001
Hoax
On February 19, 2007, Russian web-based news source Rusfootball and Russian edition of the UEFAUEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
website reported that Lekgetho had been killed in a car accident in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. Other media such as gazeta.ru, Sport-Express
Sport-Express
Sport-Express is a Russian daily sports newspaper founded by Vladimir Kuchmiy. Printed in 31 cities of Russia, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and the United States, it is the biggest-selling sports newspaper in Russia, with the daily audience of over 700,000 people.Sport-Express was founded...
, and Regnum
REGNUM News Agency
REGNUM News Agency is a Russian non-governmental federal online news service disseminating news from Russia and abroad from its own correspondents, affiliate agencies and partners...
picked up the story. On February 20, Rusfootball published the refutation, confirming that the information was false.
Actual death
In September 2008, it was confirmed by various South African sources that Lekgotho had died in JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, aged 34, after a lengthy battle with an undisclosed illness. According to Sport-Express the illness was AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
.