125 quotes found
"It was a hard-fought game from start to finish. We knew it was not going to be easy, and the University of Fort Hare challenged us, especially in the first half. I honestly feel we could have scored more goals — we created some good chances but just lacked that final touch at times."
"What made the difference today was our perseverance. We worked hard for each other, stayed composed, and stuck to the game plan. We implemented everything we had practiced throughout the week, and that helped us maintain our structure under pressure"
"As defenders, we take great pride in protecting our goal, and the fact that we have not conceded all season is something we work extremely hard for in training. Every player—from the forwards pressing high to the goalkeeper—contributes to that defensive effort."
"I feel we did very well as a team, especially with our build-up to the game. We worked hard in training to sharpen our combinations and it was fulfilling to see several of the ideas we practiced come to life today. It was an intense match, but we kept our focus from start to finish"
"The coaching team was very clear in their instructions, and we all played with purpose and confidence. We are growing in every match and this result shows what we can achieve when we stay united and disciplined."
"The game was eventful and everything we planned and prepared for throughout the week resulted in a good win for us. We are so happy with how we managed the game from the first whistle to the last"
"Our defensive structure was solid and we capitalized on their weaknesses at key moments. The communication between the backline, midfield and attack was excellent and that made it easier to control the tempo."
"One thing the general public does not know about me is that I work very hard behind the scenes; I even have a personal trainer. I train twice a day, with my club and then with the personal trainer. So, I put in a lot of practice, especially for my passing. What you see on the field is a result of that hard work and practice"
"I’m not a person who likes to become comfortable in one position – I want to constantly improve as a player. I never want to hear people say ‘Bambanani can’t play football anymore’. So, I need to always work hard, especially because age is also not on my side"
"I’m grateful for the support I was getting from my wife, family and team. That really helped me bounce back from that setback, even though it was not an easy journey"
"I will continue playing until I feel that I can’t do it anymore. Everything we do in life is about timing and I feel as though I can still continue playing for the national team. After all, everyone is entitled to their own decisions,"
"But I’m happy for the retired players. They raised the level of women’s football in general, not just at Banyana Banyana"
"I am also very happy with the clean sheet—it’s something we take pride in as a team. We are now looking forward to the next game with confidence and belief."
"It’s a huge responsibility because we have so many young ones in this team so we (the older players) have to motivate them and show them the ropes"
"But, it’s also not that difficult because we have been in this team for so many years, so we know what is expected from us, so we have to make sure that we keep the kids motivated to do better"
"[For the new players] it’s a matter of them adjusting to the game plan of the team so I believe that even with coach calling them, she saw something in them of which it will help boost the team"
"Soccer became my escape and comfort."
"Football teaches you how to behave on and off the field."
"As long as I keep going, nothing will stop me."
"Pressure is a privilege, and when our backs are against the wall, that is when we perform."
"I tell people I am a full-time worker and a part-time footballer. A lot of us have to take unpaid leave to play matches. But come game day you would never say we are not full-time players."
"The field wasn’t the greatest. The fact that they thought it was OK for us to play on it, was something we were not happy with. It was just about us being respected as athletes."
"What was beautiful was that we stood together and we knew what we were fighting for. We fought 23-strong. We knew if we stuck together no one could break us and that translated on to the field. Our bond is the strongest it’s ever been."
"We were so tired of being stepped on and not being heard."
"Like I said previously, I’ve worked hard to be where I am and I think my confidence grew and I show up every day and gave maximum effort."
"What has stood up for me the most is fighting for one another on the field even when I make a mistake my teammate is there to motivate me and that has kept me going and made me want to give my all."
"I started playing football when I was seven, mostly playing with boys at home."
"My flow of the game depends on the tempo."
"The positive energy and vibe that I bring into the team, by merely playing the drum, is very important to me."
"Football will speak for itself."
"I feel school is not for me. I quit last year, dedicating my life to football. I'm positive I'll have a successful career as a footballer."
"I decided to drop out because I wanted to spend more time playing football. So far, I have been able to focus on football the way I have always wished. I was an average learner."
"I think God only blessed me with football."
"Here you have to bring your A-game all the time or you will struggle."
"When the coach told me to go warm up I had butterflies in my stomach."
"As the kick-off approaches, my heart is racing but I am looking forward to the challenge."
"We want to show young girls that anything is possible with hard work, determination and a never-give-up attitude."
"I remember how challenging it was playing with boys in the streets. Although it was difficult, I had discovered my love for football and I was prepared to continue playing no matter the circumstances."
"But for me, this is what being limitless is all about, working hard to achieve your goals and putting no limits to your dreams."
"Being limitless has taught me to believe in myself more as I hope to inspire other up-and-coming footballers who look up to me. It doesn’t matter where you come from or your what your background is, just believe in your talent and work hard."
"That’s actually what I want to be, the best striker in the world."
"Because I don't score for me, I score for the team, I score for my fans, I score my family, and my team to win at the end of the day."
"Football is a team sport, and I would not have achieved this without the incredible support of my coaches, teammates and family."
"Being nominated motivates me to push even harder, not just for myself but for my teammates and everyone who supports me. This nomination also inspires other kids to believe in themselves and work hard to achieve their dreams."
"I’m still the same humble Nthabiseng I was before. But definitely my life has changed a lot."
"A lot of these girls are discouraged. They have to choose between going to school and work or playing football."
"My advice to them is to work hard. Keep on pushing. Because success does not come without hard work."
"I know that it’s important to be educated, because football is a very short career."
"I didn’t even think that I would reach 100, never mind 150. I was just playing soccer and representing my country. I was just doing what I love. I didn’t even expect that one day I will be one of the most capped players in senior women’s football. I was just playing soccer, being a girl from a rural area, just doing what I love, that’s why I said I feel blessed that I am amongst those legends in Africa."
"I’m proud of myself because I never thought that I would be where I am today."
"You know, that’s why I say hard work pays off. Just keep working. God will answer your prayers and just keep praying."
"When the young girls watch us on television they tell their parents, I want to play like Mpumi Nyandeni or Portia Modise… Thanks to the SABC and Hollywoodbets our games are now on television, if they can’t go to the stadium they can still see us and they know they can still watch women’s football. This will inspire them to play soccer because they are now able to see us and in that way, we inspire them to achieve their dreams and even achieve more than we have."
"I will say to the young, upcoming footballers, they need to work hard, stay disciplined and carry themselves (well). What is important is how to carry yourself and don’t forget to pray and work hard, because your hard work, is going to pay off. So they need to work hard and leave the friends that have bad habits."
"Choose your friends but focus on yourself and believe in yourself. So that is most important if you believe in yourself, no one can take that from you."
"The way I loved football, I just wanted to be around the football pitch; I would ref sometimes."
"I am a firm believer that discipline, hard work, and passion are the best form of ingredients for a player to last as long as I have in the game."
"For me, personally, no one has the audacity to come and tell me when I should retire because that person was not there when I started playing football."
"I will retire when my body is no longer able to carry me. I will retire on my own accord."
"Football is my world – without it, there’s little else for me. My passion for the game is boundless, and I aim to keep playing for as long as I can. That’s how deep my love for football runs."
"When you come from the villages you don’t give up. We keep on working no matter what."
"It’s also about working hard and not giving up. Because when you love something you’ve got to go the extra mile."
"Sometimes we mess up our opportunities. But if it had to happen, it had to happen."
"I don’t like to be relaxed. When it’s my time to move, it’s my time to move. I wake up in the morning and pray. After that, I go for a run. Then I train with some boys. On Sundays, we play matches."
"I don’t need to be reminded about where I come from. Wherever I go my name stays the same, my accent stays the same. But it’s good to know people are behind me."
"We are feeling good, and we are prepared. We know what it will take to defend our title, and we will have to work as a team – play for one another, support each other, fight for one another. So, teamwork will win the day, unlike in tennis where you are on your own."
"I want to do more talking on the field of play."
"Teamwork will win games for us because football is about the team not individuals...we're here as a team, representing our country."
"I fell in love with football when my two brothers played football, I would stand on the touch line and watch them. I was only 7-years-old when my mom bought me my first soccer boots and that increased my confidence."
"I am motivated that women’s football has been understated for a long time, now at least we have an opportunity to play. My mom used to tell me how she loved football but they never got the chance to play."
"My inspiration is to take South African football forward."
"I am very open to learning from my mistakes, and I’m really grateful for them."
"I’m really grateful and I know the people from home are very proud of me. We play very good football in Hammersdale and there aren’t a lot of girls that play football."
"My mother was a netball player and my father played football. So, I think my parents' love for sports really pushed me. I’m also happy that I got into football because if it wasn’t for it maybe I would be a disrespectful child and it just taught me to treat people with kindness."
"Sports changed my life."
"My dad was my support system, he would drive me to practice every day and he would have to drive back home an hour away, as I was in boarding school and they would not allow me to leave the premises alone."
"Education is very important. I know I love football and I know I can make a living out of it but things are different in South Africa, as we do not have a professional league here."
"I know there will come a stage when I won’t be able to play professional football."
"I need to have something to fall back on. Injuries occur sometimes and I should be ready if something like that happens. Not only will education help me in the future, but I can also apply the knowledge I gain while playing soccer; aspects such as injury prevention, rehabilitation, sport psychology among others."
"Sometimes, I feel like quitting but I have one goal; to finish this year even if it means crawling to the finish line."
"Through education, you can achieve your goals."
"Not everyone will represent their country at national level. Education is the best thing you can fall back on if things don’t work out the way you want them to. Let’s get that qualification!"
"I have learnt a lot from it, from playing against the best players in the world. It is an experience that no one can take away from me."
"The smiles they put on my face that day… it hit me that they needed us more. I realised that when I made it, I had to go back and help. I want to show people who think they have boundaries that there are no limits."
"The first thing you need as a footballer is a ball. Then you need shoes. If you have that, you’ve got the confidence to play. That changes everything."
"It all starts with development. The earlier kids have access to proper gear and training, the better their chances of making it. If brands invest now, they’re not only changing lives, they’re strengthening our national teams, our leagues, our future."
"I’ve made it out of an under-resourced area, and they can too. The impossible is nothing."
"Imagine what the national team could achieve if women’s football was fully professional. It would change everything."
"It’s important to remember where you come from and to use your success to uplift others. I want these young players to know that their dreams are valid. They must know that with hard work and dedication, they can achieve anything."
"I know that I love football and can sustain myself by making a living out of it but circumstances might change – like getting an injury and obviously reaching a stage where I won't be able to play professional football and I need something to fall back on, in this case, it's my education. It also helps me apply the knowledge that I have while playing the game: aspects such as prevention of injury, sport psychology, etc."
"The partnership with adidas allows me to dream big about my goals and aspirations. I can fully concentrate on my performance without stressing about boots and bras that will help me to perform extremely well."
"Sponsorships go beyond just tangible things. I have access to a team of experts to help me optimise my training and nutrition to ensure that I perform at my best."
"This is a big win, not only for me but for other sportswomen as well from disadvantaged areas. Let's celebrate and pave the way for the next generation of athletes by also giving back to the communities we come from."
"Being a radiologist helped me because I knew that if I gave myself enough time to recover, there'd be less chance of me getting injured again."
"Had I not quit my job, I wouldn't be here because I was working in the deep rural areas. It was very hard to train. I was training with the boys."
"Not everyone gets a chance to play at the highest level of sport, especially when you are from a rural area like where I come from."
"I know that one day it will also pay off and that once I am retired from football, I have something to fall back on."
"I always make sure no day passes without me not going to the library. I have to always ensure I am ahead with my studying and finish my assignments very early."
"What you put in is what you get out."
"I think for me we need people to come and watch our games."
"I think it's because most females, they all want to go into coaching actually and I think they also don't realise that they are some other branches that you can go into and I think this one of them and that's where I saw that there was a gap and there was a lot of opportunities."
"So, there's a lot more than just being a coach, there's a lot you can do in football and contribute to the game."
"I was always involved in sport. I used to be the only girl at school or back home playing with the boys. At school I tried all sports that were available, but I enjoyed football more than anything"
"Football is not just about becoming a great player it’s also about becoming a great person."
"We need people to invest in women’s football. The team managed to qualify without a professional league. We need a professional league so that players can be committed to the game and the national team needs to play very international break against the best teams, get exposure and play abroad."
"Extremely difficult, I'm gonna be honest, we all know as athletes, it's very, very difficult to come back from an injury. For the most part, it knocks down the mental side of things but I had to be tough on myself and be like, you gotta get back into the game, that's what I love to do."
"Personally, it has been talked about for so many years that women's football needs to be professionalised, but at this point, I am going to reserve my comments and will only believe it when I see it practically happening. I've heard it mentioned so many times that I don't believe anything they say about the intention anymore."
"Indeed, as female footballers, we do value education highly because it's simple: We are not paid enough to make a living out of the game, whereas our male counterparts can play, say, for 10 or even five years and make enough money in order to make a living if they use their funds properly. So, there is a huge gap in terms of we know that we are not being paid well and the money that we make cannot sustain us for the rest of our lives or for a longer period of time, so we opt to navigate towards education. That is so that we are able to secure full-time jobs on the side, or even after football. We need that more than our male counterparts."
"I own it because it gives me so much pride in being a woman in a space mostly deemed as a men's sport."
"Oh, I love those people. They treat me like a human being – like a girl. Let me tell you when we go and do shoots, they just hire a whole makeup crew to pamper me and I love that."
"I love the face beats, lipsticks, eyelashes – just everything about it. I love everything about it. You know what, Puma, let’s just end it there because I can just go on and on about Puma!"
"Life has been amazing, spending time with my family and that’s what I’ve been longing for many years, as you know as a professional athlete you travel a lot ... you don’t get time to sit down. I don’t know if players talk about it, I’m taking time to take care of my mental health."
"When I talk about mental health, I’m not saying I wanted to kill myself. You get tired as a person, that’s why there is sick leave, and people go on vacations, I needed that."
"There are many things that go on that people from the outside don’t understand, but as a person I understand myself, I know how I operate, I know when I need a break, I know when I’m having a breakdown, I know when my body says 'no' and when it says 'yes', so I have to listen to it."
"Before achieving everything that we achieved, we set goals and said this is what we want at this time. And we achieved everything, every goal that was set."
"Development is key. 100%."
"I demand more of myself and my teammates. I want to win things – this is where my teammates and I are supposed to show up. This is where we are supposed to show the world who we are, right?"
"I command and organise when needed. I also understand the need to encourage and push the team to stay on top of our game."
"Barriers are only in the mind. If you truly want something, do whatever it takes. Invest in yourself if you’re not getting the support you desire."
"There is always something that feels unfulfilled when I wake up."
"I’ve got something to do on this planet and whatever that purpose is keeps me going."
"It is extremely important to be mentally tough."
"The only competition we can and have competed in is the COSAFA Cup, so I honestly don’t know what I can achieve with my national team. Maybe I will be one of those great players who retire without ever being at a major tournament."
"It’s every player’s dream to play abroad, and I am no different. I would like to see myself getting out of my comfort zone and challenge myself against some of the best players in the world."
"Putting the ball in the back of the net is always a good feeling because goals help us to win games."
"Adapting to a new country with a different culture and way of doing things was tough at first."