For Amakhosi captain Cyril Nzama it was no different, as the stalwart defender played his 200th game for Chiefs over the past weekend when Chiefs drew with defending PSL Champions Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB Stadium.

On Monday Nzama was handed a special commerrative jersey to mark his 200th appearance in for Chiefs, along with Thabo Mooki is the only player in the current Chiefs team to have reached a double century of appearances for The Amakhosi.

Nzama was at first surprised and thereafter gleamed from ear to ear as he was called up by coach Ernst Middendorp, and was handed the jersey by vice captain Fabian McCarthy. The handing over of the jersey to Cyril was done at a special ceremony held late Monday afternoon, after training and attended by the entire team who congratulated their captain on his unique achievement.

Commenting on receiving special for his 200th appearance at the ceremony the Bafana Bafana defender said. “Every game I have played over the past five years has been a memorable one, no matter what the result they all added up towards helping me reach 200 games. In the same way so have all the guys who have been my team mates over the past five years every one of them, has played a part in me achieving what I have at this time all I would like to say is thank you to all the guys, the club and the supporters”.

Kaizer Chiefs brand manager Dara Carroll has confirmed that the club will be honouring players who reach various milestones over this season and beyond, adding “last season we had a number of players who reached personal milestones, we could not verify them accurately as we needed to get our statistics in order. Now that we have sorted our statistics we will be honouring a number of players in the next couple of months, watch this space as we do have an important club appearance record tumbling soon”

While Cyril Nzama savours the moment he has said that he has not begun thinking as to how many appearances he will have notched up by the he retires, at the age of 32 he has said that a realistic target will be 250 games for Chiefs. Should he reach that target the no nonsense defender would have taken his current appearances in top flight football which include games he played with Rabali Blackpool and Bush Bucks of 360 to past the 400 games point.

Cyril Nzama Profile


Born: 26 June 1974


Place of Birth: Pimville, Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa


Position: Defender


Jersey Number: 4


Previous teams: Kaizer Chiefs Juniors, Rabali Blackpool, Bush Bucks


Debut for Chiefs: PSL Orlando Pirates 1 Kaizer Chiefs 1 (29/11/00)


International Caps: 32 Bafana Bafana


Junior National Teams Caps: 1


Chiefs Appearances: 194


Substitute Appearances for Chiefs: 6


First Goal for Chiefs: PSL African Wanderers 0 Kaizer Chiefs 2 (18/02/01)


Total Goals for Chiefs: 9


Honours with Chiefs: African Cup Winners Cup 2001, BP Top Eight 2001, Coca Cola Cup 2001, PSL Runner Up 2000 – 2001, Coca Cola Cup Finalist 2002, Coca Cola Cup 2003, PSL Winner 2003 – 2004, Coca Cola Cup 2004, PSL Winner 2004-2005, SAA Supa Finalist 2004, 2006 ABSA Cup Winner