WATCH | Marc van Heerden discusses the decline of white players in South African soccer

Former Cape Town City left back Marc van Heerden has given his thoughts on the lack of white footballers in South Africa’s top flight.

Van Heerden, who retired at the end of the 2023/24 season, played at the highest level for almost two decades, turning out for clubs like AmaZulu, Orlando Pirates, Stellenbosch FC, as well as the Citizens.

On the international stage, he won five caps for Bafana Bafana between 2013 and 2015. Speaking to Robert Marawa on MSW on Friday night, van Heerden said it was difficult to pinpoint why there were so few white players in the modern PSL.

“There was Mike Morton, there was Brad (Grobler). You had Jeremy Brockie. There’s definitely talent across all races in our country. I just don’t think they understand that they have the opportunity.

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“A lot of them that do have the talent give up. I knew plenty of players growing up that just gave up too easily.

“When I was at SuperSport’s academy in the beginning stages, we had white, coloured and black players. I think it’s a mentality thing, even at that age,” said the 37-year-old, who is now Eric Tinkler’s assistant coach at Sekhukhune United.

According to van Heerden, young white players had to ask themselves some questions before deciding to carry on.

“Do I really want to become a professional football player? Am I willing to work as hard as I possibly can to become that? Do I love the game that much to be that?”

The debate on the low numbers of white players in the PSL has been going on for a while. Addressing the issue last year, former Bafana defender Matthew Booth said it was a class issue.

“It’s middle-class and upper-class kids who perhaps are finding training a little bit difficult, or they have to go to areas where they feel unsafe, or the referee does not turn up, or the league is badly organised. And then the middle class and upper class say, ‘Mom, Dad, I am going to focus on my studies or I am going to sit at home and play Xbox,’” Booth said last year.

Speaking on the issue on his account on X last year, former Pirates star Morton attributed the lack of white footballers in South Africa to young players choosing rugby, cricket and other sports once they reach high school.

“I think I may be qualified to enter this conversation,” Morton said in a video posted on X. “I don’t think the problem is as guys get to 18 or 19 years old. Those players, once they’ve reached that point, they’re going to the next level.

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“It’s middle-class and upper-class kids who perhaps are finding training a little bit difficult, or they have to go to areas where they feel unsafe, or the referee does not turn up, or the league is badly organised. And then the middle class and upper class say, ‘Mom, Dad, I am going to focus on my studies or I am going to sit at home and play Xbox,’” Booth said last year.

Speaking on the issue on his account on X last year, former Pirates star Morton attributed the lack of white footballers in South Africa to young players choosing rugby, cricket and other sports once they reach high school.

“I think I may be qualified to enter this conversation,” Morton said in a video posted on X. “I don’t think the problem is as guys get to 18 or 19 years old. Those players, once they’ve reached that point, they’re going to the next level.

“It’s more so at 13 and 14 where they make the jump to high school. The old traditional ‘Model C’ white schools don’t take football very seriously, and I think we lose a lot of very talented footballers in that jump where they have to choose between cricket, rugby and a whole bunch of other sports, and football is not really taken that seriously.”

He added: “Community-run clubs are also struggling financially, and the level is not that great. I think we are losing a lot of talented footballers in that period.

“That’s my personal experience. I’ve played with a lot of talented guys that, when they jumped to high school, didn’t carry on playing football.”

Three years ago, Jesse Donn – who retired at 25 at the beginning of the year after playing for SuperSport United – echoed a similar sentiment.

"I think it's a very controversial subject, of course, but I just think a lot of white players tend to swerve more towards rugby or cricket, and I know this because that's what happened to some of my friends."

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