• Sport

'Shasha' the Namibian phenomenon

• 1 Day Ago - 2025-08-22 00:00:00

By the time Peter Shalulile retires, his name will continue to echo in the history books for eternity, having achieved some of the greatest feats on the football pitch.
The dusty streets of Golgotha in Windhoek will forever rejoice and boast about the player who once played street football before rising to become one of Africa’s most decorated forwards.

Shalulile has not only earned global recognition by becoming the joint South African Premiership top scorer alongside Siyabonga Nomvethe, but he has also broken numerous records in South African football. His decision to remain at Mamelodi Sundowns, despite rumours of a move, may prove to be one of the greatest choices made by both him and the club, as he now stands just one goal away from becoming the PSL’s all-time top scorer.

Former Brave Warriors coach Ricardo Mannetti believes Shalulile’s attitude on and off the field has played a key role in his remarkable career.
“Peter Shalulile is not just a great footballer, he is also a humble human being off the field. I have worked with him and he always chose commitment and discipline above everything else.
“I always believed he would do great things on the football pitch, and he has turned that belief into reality. All that is left for him is to break the Southern African record and officially become the GOAT of Southern African football,” Mannetti said.

Football unionist and activist Olsen Kahiriri praised Shalulile for achieving what many once thought impossible for a Namibian player in one of Africa’s biggest leagues.
“He has done great things for football because he has become an example for so many young people. What truly sets him apart is the way he lives off the field. Players like him are rare, because it is difficult to find a talented footballer who is not influenced by the social life around him,” Kahiriri said.

Shalulile has not only won the hearts of fans and coaches but has also become a role model for fellow players. One of them is Namibian international Moses Shidolo, who currently plays for Scotland FC in Zimbabwe. Shidolo described Shalulile as a leader and humble figure who inspires any team he joins.
“I would literally fail if I did not congratulate my national team captain for what he has achieved. Only a few can dream of attaining what Peter has over the past few years, and I am incredibly proud of him. I trust his success will not end here, but that he will continue to thrive for a long time to come,” Shidolo said.

The Namibia Football Association also extended its congratulations through a post on its social media pages.
“On behalf of the entire Namibia Football Association, and indeed the football-loving community in Namibia, we extend our warmest congratulations to our captain, Peter Shalulile, for equalling the all-time top goal-scoring record of 129 in the South African Premier Soccer League.
Peter, your dedication and passion are an inspiration to us all,” the post read.

Records
1. Nedbank Cup all-time top scorer (14 goals).
2. Fastest goal in MTN8 Cup (10 seconds).
3. Fastest player to reach 100 PSL goals (197 appearances).
4. PSL all-time top scorer in all competitions (joint with Nomvethe).
5. Only player to win three Golden Boots in PSL history.
6. Only player to score back-to-back hat-tricks in PSL history.
7. Most goals by a PSL player in the CAF Champions League.
8. Highest-scoring foreign player in PSL history.
9. Most cup competition goals in PSL history (37).
10. PSL Player of the Season back-to-back (joint record with Nomvethe).
11. Most cup competition goals (12) in a single PSL season (joint record).
12. PSL record for most goals in a calendar year (33 in all competitions).