Businessmen rally behind Masuluke
Big send-off for Puskas nominee tonight
Fifa Puskas finalist Oscarine Masuluke will still benefit financially even if he misses out on the award.
Sowetan has learnt that businessmen in his home province of Limpopo are going all out to ensure his trip to the United Kingdom is one to remember for him.
This will be the first time he’s out of the country.
Masuluke, 24, will be in London on Monday for the Fifa awards. H is spectacular goal for Baroka against Orlando Pirates late last year is among the three goals nominated to contend for the world’s Goal of the Year Award.
He will have a big send off tonight at a lodge in Ngove village, just outside Giyani, during a function organised by the Mopani District Municipality.
“We are expecting between 200 and 250 people to attend the event,” said Pat Twala, the acting director in the office of the executive mayor, Councillor Nkakareng Rakgoale.
Twala declined to comment on our source’s claims that businessmen who will be attending the event have already donated over R50 000, which is expected to reach R100 000 by the end of the event.
Fifa’s Puskas award is worth $20 000 (about R275 000), but that was two years ago and it could be more now.
Fifa have not been revealing the prize money for their awards, but in 2015 Wendell Lira of Brazil received $20 000 from the world football’s governing body for winning the Puskas gong.
Masuluke, who hails from N’wamankena, a village in the
‘ ‘ About 200-250 people are expected to attend the event
greater Giyani, Mopani District, has already made history by becoming the first-ever African to make it to that level and he stands a chance to become the first-ever African to win a Fifa Puskas.
You can still vote for him by logging on to Fifa.com, click on Puskas award and then on Masuluke’s vote for the voting option at the bottom. He’s competing with Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud and Venezuela Women Under-17 star Deyna Castellanos.
Voting closes on Monday, which is the day of the awards.