"We don't believe in experience and experience can't be bought. You build experience. So, this thing of 'We are building, we want new blood' I feel like we still have a long way to go."

"I believe if you mix new and experienced players it makes a good team. Younger players have energy and experienced players have the experience to build."

"At training or on the field of play it is not so much an issue because football language is universal, and I understand most words. The main challenge is when I have to converse with my teammates off the field, but I am getting there."

"My love for football goes beyond just playing the game to the best of my ability. I love all facets of the game and being a coach excites me. While I was abroad, I had the privilege of interacting with several people who broadened my holistic understanding of the game. My journey thus far as a coach has been an interesting one because it has opened my eyes to several ideas about what goes on before, during and after the game."

"I am very happy with the way the world is paying attention to women in the game of football."

"I always feel so emotional when I see youngsters knocking the ball around with confidence. I see myself in them and it excites me to train them. I hope that they keep their heads down and learn more about the game. I hope they eventually exceed my achievements because they are very talented and I am working hard to help them achieve their potential."

"It’s always a good feeling when you have a positive impact on the outcome of a game."

"Football has given me so many memories and lessons that I will carry for life."

"The will was there to continue, but the body was no longer responding the way it used to. I had to listen to it, respect its limits and make the tough decision."

"The transition from being a player to stepping into a coach has been exciting and humbling. As a player, I was used to being on the field—scoring, assisting and making things happen. Now, I lead from the sidelines, but with the same passion and drive. It is a different kind of responsibility that requires vision, clarity and patience."

"What makes it easier is that I have walked the same path many of these players are on. I know what they are fighting for. I am here to guide them—with honesty and experience."

"I am excited for what lies ahead and ready to continue building a legacy that empowers the next generation."

"I don’t normally like to talk about it. Coming from a royal family, being a female and wanting to play football. The family… they wanted me to be something else."

"I would say they do support me today, even though they would prefer if I was a princess. But I refuse to be that because football is something that I love, it completes my life and my world."

"It is not easy playing with the ‘big guns’, but we enjoyed ourselves and the experience we got playing there, we are using it now."

"We did not just do it for ourselves, but also the young ones out there, the next generation so that everyone can recognize that in South Africa we have good players. That will hopefully open the doors for others to get a contract overseas."

"Age is just a number, as long as I can still play and run, that is what matters most."

"The only problem that we have as Africans going overseas is our development."

"I would start by introducing school football and development academies for girls, and then ensuring there were sponsors for female teams and seeking support from the department of sport and other organisations to assist with the growth of women's and girls' sport across all provinces."

"When I was young, they tried to stop me from playing football, but I refused and told them I was not interested in royal duties, my mom was not happy."

"Being a coach is not as easy as everyone thinks. There are so many aspects of the game that you have to pay close attention to. You need to understand the mindset of the players, as well as their mentality to buy into your philosophy. Being a coach also makes one understand the psychological aspects of the game because I am now able to understand the frustrations of a player when things are not going according to plan. Overall, by becoming a coach, I have gained a broader understanding of the game."

"We have learnt that there's a much quicker way of moving the football, we learnt not to give the ball too much."

"Consistency is very important, it builds the team's confidence."

"My football career started at the age of 13. I was very hyped and excited for football, playing for the national team and my team. I was just enjoying the fact that I’m playing football."

"I faced many people that always told me football is not for girls, but it’s not about that, it’s about what I love."

"Every dream has its challenges, and those challenges build you. It’s always about how you get up."

"Every girl has to be strong and push forward, never listen to any negativity. People will hate and love, you must face it all. That’s life, it’s never easy."

"Growing up in a small town, I never had small dreams. Only big targets and destinations! I always dream big."

"To young girls, you should not try to be someone else. You do not what people go through to be who they are. Do not listen to people saying, ‘you cannot do it’. Only you can decide that!"

"The challenge of not being prioritised and empty promises still lingers because we still treat this team like or as an afterthought."

"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."

"I think showcasing our talent and competing on a global stage will definitely bring positive change into the sport."

"I think when you go there, you must be brave and be tough. When you start to be nervous and you see players who have long been playing in the World Cup, you won’t cope."

"The first game is where you push. No matter what happens, how bad the result or score is, but if you push in the first game, that’s when you’ll realise you can push in the second as well."

"All the players who are based abroad are ambassadors and we need to set good examples and standards for those that are back home or those that will follow in our footsteps, so yes there is a lot of pressure on all of us – but it is the kind that motivates us to well and represent our country in a most outstanding way. To be honest, I am excited and nervous at the same time – excited about the move, but also nervous that I am going to a new country, which means new beginnings. This is a really a dream come true"

"You don’t have to leave where you’re from. Access and opportunities should come to you, to elevate your career and give you a chance. Leaving home wasn’t easy; leaving my parents behind and chasing this football dream. But when I made it, my life changed."

"I managed to get into university because of football."

"I had good mentors around me."

"The women’s game in Africa has seriously evolved. Five or six years ago, when we were still playing, things were different. Today’s players enjoy more financial incentives, programs, and better opportunities."

"Equal pay isn’t just about salary. Are we getting equal platforms? Equal access? Equal broadcasting rights? Women’s football must be visible for people to know about it."

"Football gave me everything. I’m truly grateful."

"It's not just a major win for me personally in my career, but for many other aspiring women who want to be in the commentary space."

"As a former footballer, I know what it's like to be on the pitch."

"Interpreting a game is not always easy. It comes with confidence."

"I fell back into soccer, because at every corner boys were playing football and I just stood out as the only girl."

"At this rate, we may not see how much of an impact this team has had on women's football because we always water down their achievements."