Nine years ago, Leonardo Castro found his way to Mamelodi Sundowns after having spent all his career playing in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia.
Chloorkop was buzzing with the club having recently won the Nedbank Cup and Pitso Mosimane keen to add his second league title.
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The Colombian was in a completely new space than what he had grown accustomed to in South America.
"When I first came to South Africa (2015) and saw the quality of the players, I was surprised at how fast they were," Castro tells KickOff in an exclusive conversation.
"I had never seen players so fast in all my time playing football, but in South Africa there were many of them and I was training with them every day.
"There was speed all over the pitch, and in my head, I still have the names of (Tebogo) Langerman, (Asavela) Mbekile who were fast, and not to even mention the guys up front, like Khama (Billiat).
"The mentality at Sundowns was that of winners, being ambitious and we were already competing amongst ourselves.
"So, with that happening, I just got going with the group like that without asking.
"I could feel the desire to win from day one.
"I think they still have the same culture up to now because they are still winning," he says of the club where he was part of the famous CBD trio with Billiat and Keagan Dolly.
Castro won the league and Telkom Knockout in his first season and then added the CAF Champions League, before he then left for Kaizer Chiefs halfway through his third season.
The 35-year-old now plays in the third tier of USA football for Greenville Triumph, where retirement is now becoming a subject of interest.
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"I have been scoring some goals (six) this season, but I'm preparing myself for my retirement now with the mind of becoming a coach.
"At times, it is difficult thinking about what one will do after playing soccer, but this is the reality," says Castro.