08/12/2025
TICO-TICO PAYS TRIBUTE TO KANYENDA
Mozambican legend Manuel Bucuane best known as ‘Tico-Tico’ has said the late Esau Kanyenda was “a perfect striker” and a “a very good teammate.”
Tico-Tico and Kanyenda were team mates at South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Jomo Cosmos in the early 2000s where nthey both scored loads of goals.
Speaking to a South African online soccer publication, KICKOFF, Tico Tico said he has great memories playing alongside Kanyenda whom he described as very calm and softspoken.
“I met him at Cosmos when he came from Malawi. We played together there, and then he went overseas. I have great memories, you know,” said the Mozambican legend.
According to Tico Tico, Kanyenda did not appear to like training but always came alive during matches.
“He was very relaxed, almost lazy. But on matchday, he was something else. Very strong, very aggressive. He could finish.
“He was a perfect striker, that's why it was easy for him to go overseas and make it there,” said Tico Tico.
Kanyenda died last week in the UK after a battle with liver cancer.
According to the late Flames striker’s brother McDonald, he will be laid to rest in Rotherham, in United Kingdom.