A bitter fight has broken out between retired football icon Mike Mangena, 60, and his nyatsi over the umbilical cord of their love child.

The woman, 37 years his junior, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has accused Mangena of refusing to hand over the umbilical cord of their 17-month-old daughter.

The squabble was triggered by Mangena's demand for paternity tests to be conducted to ascertain if he was the father of the bambino. The mother of the child, who had given Mangena the umbilical cord after giving birth, now wants it back after his demand for the test.

The SABC sports commentator made the demand of the paternity test when the two appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court on August 1, after she reported him for allegedly failing to support their child.

"Mike demanded the paternity tests to ensure that he was the father of the child. He opted to pay for the paternity tests. The woman made an appointment at the Lancet Laboratory where the tests would be conducted ," said a source.

The mole said results would be sent to the court before or on their next appearance date early next month.

The deep throat said Mangena's nyatsi was devastated by his demand for paternity tests as he effectively portrayed her as someone who may have slept with another man and thus trying to pass the child on as his.

"The question she asked herself was why did he take the child's umbilical cord if he had a doubt that he was the father? That is why she asked him to bring it back, but he is ignoring her plea," said the source.

The baby mama confirmed that she asked the former Wits striker to bring back her baby's umbilical cord.

"He took my daughter's umbilical cord after her birth and said he was going to perform rituals with it as part of the Mangena clan's cultural and traditional way of introducing their kids to their ancestors. So, why did he take it if he had doubts that the child was his? What does he think of me, that I'm a slut that sleeps around?

"I'm so hurt and disappointed because this is the man who said he wanted me to bear him twins after the birth of my daughter," she said.

Mangena ignored our phone calls and failed to respond to questions we sent to him via his cellphone.