From Sunday League to Champions League: Manasse Kianga's Rise
· Sports · BBC Sport
South African forward Manasse Kianga has progressed from playing Sunday league football in Rotherham to the Champions League squad of Slovakian champions Slovan Bratislava. Kianga helped ninth-tier English club Rossington Main earn promotion in 2023 before moving to Slovakia, where he was promoted from the reserves during an injury crisis. The 24-year-old scored an injury-time winner in the third and final round of qualifying to secure Slovan's place in Europe's premier competition. He has since registered two goals and two assists in domestic matches and travelled with the first team for their league phase fixture against Paris St-Germain. Former manager Ben Hunter recalls Kianga as an enthusiastic player with electric pace and physical presence during his time in South Yorkshire.
Why it matters
The transfer highlights the rare pathway from lower-tier English amateur football directly to Europe's top club competition.
Read the original report — BBC Sport
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