BREAKING: Former Leeds United Striker Phil Masinga Is Dead

Phil Masinga is dead, the former Leeds and South African international striker, passed away at the age of 49 after a long illness.

The South African FA president Danny Jordan confirmed Masinga had died after battling illness.

“Sad day for South African football. A loyal servant of the game, on and off the field of play,” Jordan confirmed in a statement.

Masinga was a huge name in South African football after becoming one of the first players to establish himself in the top leagues in Europe. He was admitted to hospital in his home town of Klerksdorp last month, before being moved to another site in Johannesburg where he lost his battle for life.

Aside from playing for Leeds, he also spent four years in Serie A with Salernitana and Bari. The forward arrived at Elland Road in 1994, in a deal which also saw club legend Lucas Radebe move to Yorkshire.

Masinga was a key part of the Bafana Bafana side which won the African Cup of Nations in 1996, and which finished runners-up two years later. And he earned his place in South African history by scoring the decisive goal against DR Congo which secured qualification for the World Cup in France in 1998.