Thembi Kgatlana’s goal was to make a living playing abroad. She is now proving to be a star of not just South African football but also the African game.
As South African forward Thembi Kgatlana crashed home a volley in the closing minutes of their African Women’s Championship match against nemesis Nigeria, she wheeled away in celebration, accepting the passionate thanks of her teammates.
Kgatlana had sealed just a second victory for South Africa over their old foes in 25 years of trying and for her, it capped a remarkable 2018 that has seen her thrust onto the global stage and into the best women’s football league in the world.
The goal provided all you need to know about the Leratong hospital-born footballer – the awareness to make the run, the speed to get away from the defender, the confidence to take on the shot and the technique to finish past the goalkeeper.
Kgatlana must be one of the quickest players in women’s football, but she has been eager to show in the last 12 months that her game is about much more than pace and she has certainly developed quickly after a first year spent at Houston Dash in the National Women’s Soccer League in the United States (US).
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She was there with national teammates Janine van Wyk and Linda Motlhalo in 2018, and will return with the latter in 2019 having had her professional contract that she worked so hard to earn, renewed for another season.
She had hoped to move abroad after the 2016 Olympic Games, where she represented South Africa, but it took a further 18 months for a club to finally take a punt on her talent.
“The wait has been worth it,” Kgatlana tells FORBES WOMAN AFRICA with a broad smile, adding her debut for Dash was unforgettable despite a 3-0 loss.
“It was a moment I had always dreamed of, that I had waited for so long for and made so many sacrifices for. I’ll cherish it for the rest of my life.”
She says her goal has always been to play abroad and make a living out of football. The South African domestic scene is still amateur and cannot provide that support.
“It’s a dream I have been working towards for the whole of my life, since I started playing as an eight year old, working my way through the junior national teams, then to the senior national team. It’s been a long and a hard road, but I’m here now,” Kgatlana says.
She admits her first year in the US was an eye-opener in terms of the level of football and the commitment players put into the game.
“You really have to work hard, everyone is professional and most have been playing at this level for quite a while. They have the experience.
“It’s all about learning and adapting quickly. In life, you face challenges and it’s up to you what you do with those.
“I had to drop out of school [University of the Western Cape] in my final year to wear a professional jersey and to be in the fold to win a contract with a big club.
“I hope it motivates a lot of girls back home to show that anything is possible and dreams do come true.”
The 22-year-old made 16 appearances in her first season with Dash, scoring two goals but also providing a number of assists.
She was used a lot as an impact player off the bench, her extreme pace allowing her to glide past weary defenders in the closing stages of matches. She will want to turn those into more starts in 2019, but also understands her role within the side.
It is also something she has taken on with the national side, known as Banyana Banyana, where she has been an integral part of the set-up for some time, and was named Player of the Tournament when the team lifted the COSAFA Women’s Championship in 2016.
While one player’s career can never be defined by a single goal, Kgatlana has managed to write her name into the history books of Banyana with what is one of the more famous strikes against a Nigerian side that has been the number one team in Africa for many years.
“It was the most amazing feeling ever, because I knew that if I let it bounce a second time, I might not get the chance,” Kgatlana says.
“It’s either I hit it and I see what happens, or I don’t hit it. The adrenaline was rushing, because every time I get into the box, I’m still deciding. But at the moment, when the ball bounced, it was now or never.”
Kgatlana has announced herself as a genuine star of not just South African football but also the African game and her challenge in the coming years will be to kick-on and continue to improve.
She certainly has the drive, passion and the skill to do so, and her development into potential global icon over the next few years will be fascinating to watch.
- Nick Said
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