Keet Announces Retirement After Durban City Win Nedbank Cup Final
Veteran goalkeeper Darren Keet is set to retire at the end of the season on a high note after helping Durban City FC secure a historic 2–1 victory over TS Galaxy in the Nedbank Cup final.
The match, played at New Peter Mokaba Stadium, saw City lift the Ke Yona trophy for the first time—an especially meaningful achievement as it marks the first Nedbank Cup win for a team from KwaZulu-Natal.
For Keet, 36, it was a fitting bookend to his career. His first Nedbank Cup triumph came back in 2010 with Bidvest Wits, and now his final season ends with the same trophy in hand. Across his career, he also earned 13 caps for South Africa national football team.
“I’m calling it quits at the end of this season,” said Keet.
“The Nedbank Cup was my first, and the Nedbank Cup is my last.
Keet reflected on his younger self after winning his first Nedbank title in 2010, when Wits defeated AmaZulu 3-0 in the final at FNB Stadium, a match in which he remained on the bench.
“I was five to 10 kilos lighter. I don’t want to give anything away. I posted a picture about it the other day, and it was 16 years ago. But the memories remain the same. There’s no picture of me running around with the trophy here today, but at FNB, when we opened the stadium, it was awesome. I was on the bench for that game, but that didn’t stop me.
“I was part of the team, like everyone else. So, it’s the same as today. We had some boys who were told that they weren’t in the squad today, but everyone is part of the team. We are all going to celebrate together,” Keet added.
Keet added that he’s not really worried about winning the player of the tournament award.
“It’s a difficult one, and I’ve said it in all the interviews. I’m just happy we won the trophy. And that is the important thing to me. I won’t say it’s a cherry on top, I’m not too worried about that because individual things are not my thing,” said Keet.
“When you get the trophy, you’ll be, but I’m not worried about it. I want to go have a beautiful celebration with the boys and have some champagne with my wife.”
