Bafana Bafana legend set for tough debut in World Cup qualifier against Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane's England as ex-Kaizer Chiefs star scoops Coach of the Year award

Serbia national team recently appointed South Africa legend Quinton Fortune as their assistant coach to deputise head coach Veljko Paunovic.

The duo played for Atletico Madrid in the late 1990s before taking the coaching role. Their first assignment together was with the English Championship side Reading FC.

CD Guadalajara, a Mexican top-flight outfit, was the next stop for the two, with the former South African and Manchester United defender working under Paunovic.

Spain club Real Oviedo took them in as well before letting them go.  

The Serbian tactician has now opened up on why he loves working with the 48-year-old.

“Quinton and I met in Spain when we arrived at Atletico Madrid as eighteen-year-olds," Paunovic told the media.

"I call him Fortune because that’s how it’s pronounced in Spain.
“We stayed in the same apartment with three other young players, in a building called Calle Penguino. Later, we joined the first team, but we were never apart; I was in the attic, and he was downstairs on the first floor.
“We visited as a family and were great friends. He is the only foreigner I’ve met whose first words of Serbian he learned weren’t swear words," he added.

"First, he learned ‘brate’ [brother], then ‘kako si’ [how are you’], and then our food.
“My mother often invited him to meals, and he fell in love with Serbian cuisine. Once, when my mother was leaving for Belgrade, Quinton called out from the door: ‘Greetings to Sale and Uncle Rade!’ Those were my brother and uncle. 

"He probably heard it from Đole Tomic and remembered it. He was the captain of South Africa, but above all, he is a great man and a friend. And I admit, his Serbian got much better," he concluded.

Paunovic and Fortune have a difficult task coming up on Thursday, November 13, against England at Wembley Stadium. The Three Lions have some notable names like Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane of Bayern Munich.  

They will then host Latvia in another Group K outing three days later.

Interestingly, Serbia are placed third in the pool, hoping to beat Albania to the play-offs position.

Meanwhile, Fortune's former Bafana Bafana teammate Bradley Carnell was crowned the 2025 MLS Coach of the Year owing to what he achieved with Philadelphia Union.

"Carnell took a Union squad that finished 23rd in the overall league standings last season and led the group to a Supporters’ Shield title with a league-high 66 points in 2025," MLS Soccer reported. 

"Among all clubs in 2025, Philadelphia had the largest points increase from 2024 (+29), which was six more points than the next-closest club (Chicago Fire FC, +23).

"Carnell set a club record with 20 wins in the regular season, went undefeated in 16 of 17 home games, and is currently riding a 16-game home unbeaten streak through the regular season and Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs.

"Most impressively, Carnell cultivated a holistic team approach that was reflected in Philadelphia starting 25 different players throughout the season across 29 unique starting lineups. 

Carnell’s system created attacking opportunities across the roster, with 18 different players scoring the team’s 57 goals in the regular season, including seven who scored their first MLS goal," they concluded.