The best of the foreign wave

South African football has rarely had a time when it has not been under a heavy foreign influence. That was certainly true when the whites-only National Football League was launched in 1959, dominated by expats from Britain. Once multi-racial football began in the late 70s it was still players from England and elsewhere in Europe who dominate the foreign ranks. In 1983 the trend began to change with a sudden influx from Malawi and then the best from Lesotho and Swaziland. Economic expediency trumped the sports boycott. When the political arena began to change towards democracy for all, so Zambians and Zimbabwean began to flood in, and within years the National Soccer League and then the Premier Soccer League had become veritable United Nations of players from around the continent. It became even more international with east Europeans, South Americans, the odd Japanese, and more recently an exotic footballer from the Solomon Islands. But who have made the biggest impact since 1985 on the domestic game. KICK OFF’s Mark Gleeson picks the best foreign XI.

Goalkeeper

With a record number of league title success and the accolade of best player in Africa under his belt, it is difficult to argue with the credentials of the Ugandan international DENIS ONYANGO. He has got better with each passing year, even if he struggles with consistent injury woes.

Onyango has come up the hard way since Pitso Mosimane first spotted him competing in the East and Central African