Back Home & Hungry

After spending most of his career in Europe, Steven Pienaar is once again playing in South Africa. Although no longer playing on the global stage, he still gets nervous before a match.

- Nick Said

There is no doubt that after 16 years playing in Europe, Steven Pienaar could have hung up his boots at the end of last season and drifted quietly towards a luxurious retirement from the game.

It was intriguing to many then that he instead signed a one-year contract with South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions BidVest Wits, with the option for a further season if both parties agree, to prolong his career in what is for him a lowkey environment compared to where he has played before.

As recently as 2014, while still at Everton in the English Premier League, Pienaar was reportedly earning around $5 million a year through salary and sponsorship, and he is arguably South Africa’s richest current sportsman.

So he is not doing it for the money, even if FORBES AFRICA understands he is on $35,000 a month at Wits, but rather for the sporting opportunity to fulfil an ambition he had before leaving Ajax Cape Town for Europe in 2001.

He had been close to a move to Orlando Pirates when he was released by Everton at the end of the 2015/16 season, but instead chose to link-up with long-time mentor David Moyes at Sunderland.

That final season in England saw the side relegated and Pienaar released again. This time he says he wanted to make good on his commitment to return to the PSL and was impressed most by Wits coach Gavin Hunt.

“There were other options but, when I met with the coach, his interest in my family touched me,” says Pienaar.

“It’s an honor to play for the champions and I wanted to play in Africa [the African Champions League], so the option was on the table and it was an easy decision for me to make.”