With Kaizer Chiefs' iconic jersey number ten up for grabs, KickOff.com looked at the players who were entrusted with this big responsibility of carrying the team, in the last two decades.
The jersey number ten is generally reserved for special players in all teams around the world, more so for big clubs, with the iconic number even retired at Orlando Pirates in honor of former midfielder Jomo Sono.
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The honor belonged to Gaston Sirino previously at Chiefs, who joined after his contract expired at Mamelodi Sundowns and although the was a lot of fanfare after the arrival of the Sirino in July 2024, the Uruguayan did not quite live up to expectations.
The temperamental midfielder had inherited the special number from Keagan Dolly, who was a marquee signing from French club Montpellier in July 2021.
Dolly's talent and status saw him reported to have been the highest-paid player at Amakhosi before he left the Soweto giants three years later.
The former Sundowns midfielder had raised the standard for a number ten at the back of the jersey for Chiefs, after Siphelele Ntshangase could not light up, as expected, wearing the number from January 2018 to March 2021 (largely on the bench or in the stands), following his signing from Black Leopards.
Keagan Buchanan had also found the jersey heavy following his arrival from Bloemfontein Celtic in July 2016, during his two-year stay at the Naturena-based side.
Siyabonga Nkosi was already regarded a legend at Chiefs when he returned to the club for his second spell in July 2012 and it spoke volumes that he was still considered good enough to wear the special jersey number.
There was a big buzz when Amakhosi handed Mthokozisi Yende the iconic number after they signed him from University of Pretoria in July 2009 but Yende also did not live up to expectations, following a similar path of Michael Nkambule, who also got to wear the jersey before him.
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Nkosi had previously worn the number ten shirt in his first spell in 2006, before he was signed by German side Arminia Bielefeld just a year later.
There is currently a debate on whether Chiefs should give the iconic number ten shirt to new signing Langelihle Phili, who wore jersey number 11 at Stellenbosch.