Quinton Fortune - From the Cape Flats to Old Trafford

The first African player to sign for Manchester United and went on to win three Premier League titles, FA Cup and two Community Shields with the English giants.

“I was watching Man United in Madrid when they were playing against Bayern and was celebrating live any other United fan. It was madness… There were talks with my agent and they said they wanted to have a look at me. I was in disbelief and my teammates (at Atletico Madrid) were taking the micky out of me but it happened.”

Former Bafana Bafana and Manchester United star Quinton Fortune recounts his footballing journey. In this exclusive interview with Premier League Productions, Fortune speaks about growing up in the Cape Flats and how he got to play football at the age of four – drawing inspiration from his brothers “who always played football”.

Fortune admits the environment was tough – gang fights and drugs – but for him living so close to Athlone Stadium fueled his passion for football. From the fourth floor of his family apartment, he could watch football daily. He tried his hand in other sports – tennis, athletics and cricket but nothing compared to thrill of playing football.

The former Manchester United midfielder has a UEFA pro-licence coaching certificate and is determined to master the art of coaching.