Vryheid male nurse King Xavi keeps football passion alive
Bongani ‘King Xavi’ Ngwenya has dedicated decades to playing, coaching and developing football.
Forty-seven-year-old Bongani Ngwenya, most known as ‘King Xavi’ on the field, lives and breathes football.
Ngwenya, who is a male nurse by profession at Coronation, started playing football at a very tender age. He grew up in Mondlo and completed his matric at Isolomuzi Secondary School. Soccer became a huge part of his life, and he started playing for Mondlo Giants, which was playing in the Vodacom League at the time.
Football became an escape
Ngwenya has a long history with football. He shared that soccer was an escape for him from many societal issues.
He further revealed that he also played for SAB teams, including Mondlo Aces, Coronation Arrows and Louwsburg Aces, where he also showcased his skills as a player-coach and won the league twice.
“I also went for trials with Golden Arrows, which is a professional team, but unfortunately things did not work out for me. Because I had so much love and passion for football, I did not let that loss get to me.
“I came back home and decided to open a team called Coronation Arrows. That was the last team I played for in the SAB League, and that was in the 2018/2019 season.”
From player to coach
After playing in the SAB League, Ngwenya began putting his coaching skills to the test.
He started coaching a team called Highlanders FC, which won the league twice in a row in the SAB League.
“After that win as a coach, I decided to quit competitive football, and that is when I joined Vryheid Masters FC and played there for three to four years.
“I then took it upon myself to open a foundation for school shoe donations, which has been running for five years now.”
Building a legacy through football
As the years went by, Ngwenya realised that his passion for football was not fading anytime soon.
He then decided to form his own team in 2011, called King Xavi Best Eleven. The name was later changed to AbaQulusi Legends.
Ngwenya is currently focused on his second foundation, Classic Tour, which will see football games being played in the Coronation area in October.
Still serving the game
Ngwenya concluded by sharing his continued passion for sport.
“I have a passion for sport. I do like other sports like tennis and rugby, but the one that is very close to my heart is soccer. I can do anything when it comes to soccer.
“Currently, I am a team manager for the health provincial team and a head coach for the health district team.”
The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.
