Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Siyabonga Nkosi was standing on the sideline, getting ready to get on the field against Bidvest Wits on Wednesday evening. It was the 85th minute. As usual, the fourth official - in this case Cedric Muvhali - checked if Nkosi was wearing any chains, rings or earrings. Suddenly, he told the midfielder: “Your nails are too long.”

At first, Nkosi thought that the fourth official was joking, reacting: “But these are not too long.” But he was wrong. “You have to cut your nails,” Muvhali confirmed.

Nkosi decided to put some tape around his nails, so it couldn’t bother anyone. “I should be fine now,” he thought. The fourth official, however, was not impressed, saying: “I told you to cut your nails.”

That’s when Chiefs coach Baxter gave up and with only a few minutes to play decided to bring on Josta Dladla instead of Nkosi.

A day after the match, Nkosi is still flabbergasted: “Look at my nails. They are not even longer than the flesh on the fingers. Are these too long?”