South African legendary footballer Lucas Radebe seems to be enjoying what is easily the best of his life at the moment with his wife, Thobela Silver. The couple has been together since 2015, having dated for three years before they walked down the aisle.
Before they walked down the aisle, Radebe was formerly married to his first wife, Feziwe Faith Radebe, for an unknown number of years before death separated them in 2008. It is his new wife that has brought the light back to his life after he lost his first wife, and their love life has continued to be inspirational for more than five years of being together.
Quick Profile of Lucas Radebe
- Name: Lucas Valeriu Radebe
- Date Of Birth: 12 April 1969
- Place Of Birth: Soweto, South Africa
- Career: Former football player
- Wife: Thobela Silver
- Kids: Lucas Jr. Radebe, Owami Radebe, Jessica Radebe, Ofentse Radebe
Lucas Radebe Has Been Married to Thobela Silver Since 2015
Radebe has since walked down the aisle for a second time, and his new wife is Thobela Silver. For someone who is not a public individual on her own, she has not revealed so much about her, hence whenever her name is mentioned in the public domain, it is always linked to her husband.
The two got married in 2015 in a traditional event that was held at his home in Diepkloof, Soweto. The ceremony, which also marked the couple’s umembeso, a meeting of the families of the two, was witnessed by their close friends and associates. The beautiful couple wore traditional wears and attended the ceremony in a Porsche.
The union has been able to get the former football star back on track. According to him, their marriage is successful because they both take care of their marriage. There is also love, commitment, and respect for each other.
There Is No Revelation On How The Two Met
Thobela Silver and Lucas Radebe are said to have met in 2012, although the circumstances of how they met have not been revealed. Before their paths crossed, Lucas was still struggling with the loss of his first wife. A few months after the former Leeds United captain buried his wife, he was diagnosed with a rare heart condition that almost cost his life after collapsing at the gym.
Although the reason behind the problem was not known, the footballer insisted it could be as a result of the heartbreak he suffered after the loss of his wife because he was in shock and confused about how he was going to continue with his life without Feziwe, who he said made him the man he was and was always there for him.
The 2010 World Cup ambassador was still not completely over the loss of his first wife when he met a new woman that would soothe the pains for him.
Lucas Radebe Was With His First Wife For Over A Decade
With the closeness of the legendary footballer to his current wife, one might think they have always been together. However, he was once married to another beautiful woman, Feziwe Faith Radebe. Even though it was in 2005 that they got married, the two were together since the 1990s.
Feziwe was born on 5 September 1974 in Mafikeng, where she was raised alongside a sister by their parents Lesley and Eunice Ngqobe. For her education, she went to Batswana High School from where she graduated in 1991. Next, she went to the Technikon Witwatersrand, where she studied Public Relations.
By 1997, she was already in a relationship with Lucas Radebe, who was still playing for the South African national team, the Bafana Bafana, as well as for the English club, Leeds United. Before then, Radebe had started his club career in South Africa, where he played for the Kaizer Chiefs from 1989 to 1994.
In 1997, Feziwe left South Africa to meet her lover, Lucas. Although they remained together, it was until 15 June 2003, that they decided to walk down the aisle and become man and wife. They had a joyous marriage until 2008 when Feziwe died at the age of 34. She was a mother of two when she died.
The Former Bafana Bafana Star Now Has More Than Four Kids
Radebe is the father of more than four kids. When his first wife died, she left behind a son, Lucas Hugo Radebe, who was about 9 years old, and a daughter, Owami, who was 4.
Now in his early 20s, Lucas Jr is also following in the same footsteps of his father by also playing football, although as a striker. He played for the Leeds junior side, and in 2018, it was reported that he tried for the English Championship side’s Under-23 team, but nothing came of it.
In 2019, it was reported that he was given a contract with the Under-23 English club Farsley Celtic. According to a statement by the team, the young lad trained with them for a week, and they were impressed with his performance enough to hand him a deal. He was said to be still waiting for his international clearance before finally joining the team for the season.
His next child with his ex-wife is Owami Radebe, but nothing much is known about her. The former soccer star has also been blessed with a little kid with his new wife; Jessica Radebe, who for now, is still too young to have a defined career path. For a great footballer like Lucas, it is not surprising that apart from his first son, he has an older son named Ofentse Radebe, who is also trying to have a career as a footballer.
What is even more interesting about Ofentse is that he also plays the same position as a defender, just like his father. He was said to have started making efforts at getting his professional start with the PSL side, Mpumalanga Black Aces with which he was training. Before then, he had played university football.
Spending long weekend with family @tsogosun Riverside sun @adidas #WomensMonth2019 such a warm welcome. Love it! @ pic.twitter.com/3mxsVPDa6P
— Lucas Radebe (@LucasRadebe) August 10, 2019
Ofentse Radebe was allegedly birthed to him by former model, Pulane Baloyi following a relationship they had in the 1990s. In 2001, she dragged him to court, asking for R10,000 a month in child support for the kid that was 8 years old at the time. It is known that he has more kids, but their names and other information about them remain unknown.
Radebe’s First Wife Died of Bowel Cancer
As previously stated, the first wife of the former football star, Feziwe Faith Radebe, lost her life in 2008. Three years before that, the world of Lucas and Feziwe turned upside down after she was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
A strong-willed woman with an uncanny determination not to be outdone by the illness, Feziwe fought and continued to fight the disease for the next three years until it had a better side of her in 2008 when she passed away. All through her brave battle with cancer, it was revealed that she never ruled out the hopes of full recovery, and although it did not come to be, she took everything with strength, humility, and grace.
A service was held in her honor at the Rhema Church in Randburg on 17 October 2008, after which she was laid to rest at West Park Cemetery. Among those that sent in condolence messages to the family was the management of Kaizer Chiefs, who sent in their love and regrets to their former legendary player and the family.
