Today, as we mark 13 years since South Africa hosted the Fifa World Cup, let's also remember that, as much as Bafana Bafana suffered a first round exit, the global spectacle prepared Pitso Mosimane for his journey as a coach.
At the time, Mosimane was serving as the assistant to 1994 World Cup-winning coach, Brazilian icon Carlos Parreira.
Elsewhere in this edition, we track down Bafana's "class of 2010" and Mosimane, who today is ranked among the most successful coaches on the continent - and no doubt South Africa's best coaching export.
It is really sad that Mosimane's continued success as a coach has once again brought to the fore the little appreciation African soccer tacticians get outside the continent, no matter how good they are.
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Instead of celebrating his feat in Saudi Arabia, where he helped with reawakening sleeping giants Al-Ahli Saudi FC (a club as old as Orlando Pirates), the headlines have been about the coach's uncertain future.
Mind you, Mosimane has only coached outside South Africa for less than three years.
He left Mamelodi Sundowns in October 2020 after a trophy-laden eight seasons at Chloorkop, a feat that has taken some of his colleagues decades to attain.
He has two CAF Champions League winners' medals (out of three final appearances with Al Ahly of Egypt); two Fifa Club World Cup bronze (also with Al Ahly) and has now promoted a Saudi team to a premier league after virtually starting from scratch.
What more must Mosimane do to prove that he's worth the same respect and appreciation as other accomplished coaches in the world?
A quick glance at the achievements of the so-called top coaches around the world shows that Mosimane has outshone even the most revered names in the game, such as Dutch legends, Ruud Gullit and Johan Neeskens, who actually achieved less after they transitioned from playing to coaching.
The difference between them and Mosimane is the stature of the clubs and the leagues they coached in. But the CV of "Jingles" says he was in charge of African powerhouses, Sundowns and Al Ahly, and he qualified both for the Fifa Club World Cup.
Ironically, he succeeded Neeskens as Downs head coach in 2012, where the Ajax Amsterdam legend hardly lasted two seasons due to poor results.
Despite finding the team near the relegation zone, Mosimane's journey led to 11 titles, which included a record-extending five league titles on the trot.
In terms of medal count as a coach - underline "medal count" - Mosimane is effectively in the same league as his idols Jos Mourinho and Pep Guardiola.
The two are rated as the world's most accomplished football managers, each having won 25 senior trophies.
Mourinho is renowned for his tactical prowess and has managed FC Porto, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United. Guardiola has managed Barcelona, Bayern Munich and currently is at Manchester City.
Mosimane is more like Mourinho. He has won a domestic title in a record four different countries - Portugal, England, Italy and Spain. He is one of only three managers to have won the Uefa Champions League twice with different clubs, FC Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010. He is also a three-time EPL champion with Chelsea in 2005, 2006 and 2015.
If I were Mosimane's adviser, I would tell him to walk out of the Jeddah-based club. However, returning to the PSL at this stage would make him more like a big fish in a small pond. Mosimane's desire to coach in north Africa is apparent and he seems to have a soft spot for Morocco.
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The affection Wydad Athletic showed him whenever he visited Casablanca with his former team Sundowns is well documented. Mosimane also attained his CAF Pro Licence in Morocco.
Following the announcement that he had again been voted coach of the month in Saudi Arabia, his tweet was subtle.
In a Twitter post this week, Mosimane put the emphasis on "little things".
Thank you, I appreciate the award for the second month. God teaches us to appreciate little things, because one day after they add up, we will look back and realise that they were big things.
"Sometimes it is just little things that makes one happy. Always appreciate and be humble of the little being given."
The love-hate relationship aside, those who underestimate Mosimane will soon realise that they should pause and take a moment to celebrate one of our own.
And they should not wait for his accolades to add up to realise that these are not "little things" but big achievements.
