"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."

"Adapting to a new country with a different culture and way of doing things was tough at first."

"Putting the ball in the back of the net is always a good feeling because goals help us to win games."

"Football is not just about becoming a great player it’s also about becoming a great person."

"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."

"Imagine what the national team could achieve if women’s football was fully professional. It would change everything."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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"

"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."

"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."

"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."

"Sometimes, I feel like quitting but I have one goal; to finish this year even if it means crawling to the finish line."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"I’ve made it out of an under-resourced area, and they can too. The impossible is nothing."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"I think for me we need people to come and watch our games."

"When you come from the villages you don’t give up. We keep on working no matter what."

"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."

"Sometimes we mess up our opportunities. But if it had to happen, it had to happen."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"I am very open to learning from my mistakes, and I’m really grateful for them."

"Teamwork will win games for us because football is about the team not individuals...we're here as a team, representing our country."

"I want to do more talking on the field of play."

"My inspiration is to take South African football forward."

"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."

"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."

"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 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."

"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."

"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."

"It’s also about working hard and not giving up. Because when you love something you’ve got to go the extra mile."

"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."

"What you put in is what you get out."

"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."