South Africa player profiles for the 2023 Women’s World Cup

South Africa head to Australia and New Zealand for a second appearance at the Women’s World Cup when the competition gets under way on July 20.

Coach Desiree Ellis has named her 23-player squad, those footballers given the honour of representing South Africa on the biggest stage of all.

We profile the lucky few hoping to make their mark.

GOALKEEPERS

ANDILE DLAMINI

Dlamini was first choice for South Africa at the last world Cup in France and is likely to head into the 2023 tournament with the same status having been a key player for the national side in their recent success. Born in Tembisa, she has spent almost her entire playing career with Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies and helped them to several titles at domestic, COSAFA and continental level. Nicknamed ‘Sticks’ she also represented her country at junior international level and debuted for the senior side against Botswana in 2011. Named in the squads for the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, she did not have any game-time as others were preferred ahead of her, but she is making up for that now. A flamboyant personality, the 30-year-old has also developed into a fine shot-stopper and reads the game well.

KAYLIN SWART

Swart played a single game against China in the previous World Cup in France and has been in and out of the side since, largely playing second-fiddle to Andile Dlamini. Her potential was spotted at a young age and she was part of the South Africa squad that travelled to Trinidad & Tobago for the Under-17 Women’s World Cup in 2010. She later played and studied in the United States and made her senior national team debut in 2016 against the US, a real baptism of fire, though Banyana Banyana equipped themselves well and only lost 1-0. At the age of 28, she is beginning to hit per peak as a player. She plays for University of the Western Cape (UWC).

KEBOTSENG MOLETSANE

The 28-year-old will likely head to Australia and New Zealand as the third choice goalkeeper but will be ready for any chance she can get. It will be a role she is familiar with having also been a stand-by player for the South Africa squad that won the 2022 women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco without getting any game-time. She is a current player of Royal AM Ladies and is relatively tall for a keeper in the local game. Her lack of international experience may count against her when it comes to selecting the starting XI Down Under.

 

DEFENDERS

BAMBANANI MBANE

Banyana have for many years relied on veteran centre-backs Janine van Wyk and Noko Matlou in the heart of defence but Mbane has made the position her own in recent times. This will be especially important after Van Wyk misses out on the finals through injury. The 33-year-old Mbane, also no spring chicken, has cemented her position as a ‘must have’ at the back and was a key element of their 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations success. Her calmness and assured displays will certainly be needed, as will her experience, having converted from a midfielder in her earlier days, which included a stint at Belarus side Dinamo Minsk. She has also been an absolute rock for Mamelodi Sundowns in the last few years, helping them to CAF Women’s Champions League success in 2021.

KARABO DHLAMINI

Another player from Mamelodi Sundowns, full-back Dhlamini has become an important player for the national side in recent times and stamped her authority on the side. The Tshwane-born star is only 21 but already has good experience under her belt having debuted as a 17-year-old with the national team. She has also studied and played in the United States and is a potential future senior national team captain too. She made five appearances for Banyana as they lifted the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

FIKILE MAGAMA

Another product of the national Under-17 set-up that played at the World Cup in Uruguay five years ago, Magama has matured into a fine defender with Cape Town-based club side UWC. Born in Gugulethu, she is relatively new to senior international football, but clearly coach Ellis sees the potential in her and the wise head on the shoulders that is beyond her 21 years. The left-sided defender was part of the ‘second-string’ COSAFA Cup selection that reached the final of last year’s regional championship.

LEBOGANG RAMALEPE

A veteran of the national side, Ramalepe made her debut in 2014 and like Mbane is one of several players to have plied their trade abroad at Dinamo Minsk. She has enjoyed tremendous success there and largely been a regular for the side over the last three years, which includes playing in the Uefa Women’s Champions League. The right-back played for King Stars Ladies and Kanatla Ladies earlier in her career having grown up in the Limpopo village of Ga-Kgapane. She played every minute of South Africa’s QWorld Cup campaign in France four years ago, and in four of their six games at the women’s Africa Cup of nations in Morocco, including the final. She has the ability to score goals from long-range.

TIISETSO MAKHUBELA

The Mamelodi Sundowns defender has been part of the national side for some time but has yet to really cement her place as a regular in the side. She went to the World Cup in France four years ago but did not make it off the bench and will certainly be hoping to change that this time round. She was also an unused sub in the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2018, as well as the 2022 tournament in Morocco. The 26-year-old central defender first joined Sundowns in 2018, before moving to TUT Ladies a year later, only to return to Chloorkop in 2022.

BONGEKA GAMEDE

Gamede has moved her way steadily through the ranks in the South African national side having previously turned out for both the Under-17 and Under-20 teams in the past. She made her senior debut in 2019 and was in fact included in the Banyana World Cup squad that year, despite having been yet to make her debut with the team. She did finally make her bow just before the competition against Norway but did not play in the finals in France. The 24-year-old has since established herself within the team and made four appearances as they lifted the African crown in Morocco last year. Raised in Ixopo in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, she had a frustrating spell on the sidelines with injury, but is now back in full swing in the Super League with UWC.

NOKO MATLOU

Matlou rose to fame in the 2008 COSAFA Women’s Championship finals when she netted 12 goals to take South Africa to the title. Back then she was a striker and was later named African Women’s Footballer of the Year after some excellent displays for Banyana Banyana. She later switched to central defender under former Banyana coach Vera Pauw and continues to excel in that position at the ripe of age of 37, with her athleticism and ability to read the game a major asset. After many years campaigning at home, she a professional contract with Spanish top-flight side Eibar in 2021. She remains a hugely experience and valued member of the national team set-up.

 

MIDFIELDERS

REFILOE JANE

Captain Jane is the anchor in the midfield and a player with the vision to unlock any defence. A silky performer but also a work-horse in the middle of the park. She was discovered at the Gauteng Future Championships competition in 2009 as a 16-year-old and quickly became a fixture in the national team, where she has played for the last 11 years. Now 30, she featured for Mamelodi Sundowns before later moving to Australian side Canberra United, and then AC Milan in Italy, where she spent three seasons before a transfer to Sassuolo for the 2022/23 campaign. That experience of playing in Serie A should certainly come in handy when Banyana come face-to-face with the Italians in the pool stages.

LINDA MOTLHALO

Motlhalo has the skill to run any midfield and now has vast experience of playing overseas, adding great football intelligence to her game. Former Banyana coach Vera Pauw said Motlhalo could become one of the leading players in the world given her ability, and while that has not happened yet, she is still only 24 and has plenty of growth left in her. She has already played in the best domestic competition in the world, the National Women’s Soccer League with Houston Dash, and also turned out for Beijing BG Phoenix in China and Swedish club Djurgardens. Motlhalo moved to top Scottish side Glasgow City in 2023 and has hit the ground running, proving she has goals in her game, but is also a creator for others. She lifted the domestic league title with her new side this past season.

KHOLOSA BIYANA

Biyana previously played in Spain with Sporting de Gijón but is now back in the South African Super League with UWC. The 28-year-old has been part of the national team set-up since 2017, having grown up in Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape. She also turned out for amateur sides Thunderbirds FC and Sunflower WFC. She started all three games for South Africa at the World Cup in France four years ago and made four appearances at the Women’s Africa Cup of nations in Morocco, though only one of those was from the start.

SIBULELE HOLWENI

Holweni was just 18 when she went to the World Cup in France but played against China. She can feature as a fullback or a winger, and has an eye for goal having twice before finished top-scorer in the regional COSAFA Women’s Championship. She campaigns for UWC and is a key part of their set-up, and at the age of 22 is already fairly experienced in the game. She will hope this World Cup will be a ticket to an overseas move. She made her debut for Banyana in their 3-0 loss to the United States in May 2019.

NOMVULA KGOALE

Kgoale is back in South Africa after playing both in the United States for Lindsey Wilson College, Tyler Junior College and Louisiana Tech University. She later also played for Spanish side Parquesdesol. Born in Zebediela, Limpopo 27 years ago, she was a member of the South Africa side that competed in Trinidad & Tobago at the Under-17 Women’s World Cup in 2010. Incredibly, she was just 14 at the time, the second youngest in the squad behind 13-year-old Catlin Fryer. It wasn’t until 2019 that she made her senior team debut though in the 3-0 loss to United States. She missed out on the World Cup in France, but did play in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations success in Morocco. She currently turns out for TS Galaxy Ladies.

ROBYN MOODALY

Another who first tasted a World Cup at the Under-17 tournament in Trinidad & Tobago in 2010 when she was just 16, she has been in and out of the South African senior side over the years. Viewed as a teenage prodigy, she has not quite lived up to that exceptional early promise but is not a player with great experience. Born in East London, she played college football in the United States and represented Banyana at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. She currently plays for JVW FC, the team owned by national teammate Justine van Wyk.

 

FORWARDS

THEMBI KGATLANA

Kgatlana’s game is all about pace and skill and she must be one of the quickest forwards in women’s football, though just how badly a long-term Achilles injury will affect her remains to be seen. She has recently returned to action with United States side Racing Louisville after almost a year out and so far so good, she has by all accounts been in good form. She is able to run in behind defences and also has a rocket shot, as she showed with her goal against Spain in the 2019 World Cup in France. The 27-year-old was a teammate of Motlhalo in Houston and Beijing, but also played for Benfica in Portugal, and Spanish clubs Eibar and Atletico Madrid.

She made the move back to the United States last year, but that Achilles injury struck at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and she is only recently back in action. But she is a player with a real x-factor and a huge weapon for Banyana.

JERMAINE SEOPOSENWE

The 29-year-old forward has been in and out of the Banyana side since her debut as a teenager in 2010, but is back in favour and brings a wealth of experience to the team. She made the unusual move to Mexico where she played for FC Juarez, who she joined last year having spent a couple of seasons in Portugal with Sporting Braga. She has since moved on again, turning out for Monterrey, also in the Mexican league. Seoposenwe is quick, good with the ball at her feet and has an eye for goal, and along with Kgatlana can form a pacy front two. The well-travelled Seoposenwe has also played college football in the United States, as well as in Spain and Lithuania. She will be among the more experienced Banyana players at the World Cup, actually her third after also playing for South Africa in the Under-17 global showpiece in 2010. She was 16 at the time.

GABRIELA SALGADO

A tricky winger with plenty of skill in her boots, she has the ability to create something from nothing and will no doubt relish being on the biggest stage of all. She has an eye for goal, but is more of a creator for others and will be a key part of Bafana’s attacking armoury. She would have played a leading role at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco in 2022, but injury ruled her out of the competition. She currently plays for JVW FC, the team owned by national teammate Justine van Wyk.

NOXOLO CESANE

Cesane is currently unattached after leaving Mexican side Tigres, though it is unlikely she will be without a club for any length of time given her quality. She was raised in the Cape Town suburb of Gugulethu and along with twin sister Sinoxolo, had a love for football from an early age. She played for local side Cape Town Roses and then UWC, before a move to French side Reims and finally Tigres. That move to Reims was on the back of her performance in helping South Africa win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. She made her international debut in 2019 but did not play at the World Cup, but featured in five games in Morocco. She is good with the ball at her feet and creates chances for others.

MELINDA KGADIETE

A player who has been a key player for both Mamelodi Sundowns and Banyana Banyana in the last few years, helping each of them to trophy success. She steered Sundowns to the CAF Women’s Champions League title in 2021 and South Africa to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco the following year. Now 30, she has good experience under her belt having made her national team debut in 2018. She can be a potent goal-scorer and has a rocket shot. She may have to settle for a place on the bench Down Under.

WENDY SHONGWE

Shongwe may be among the quickest players at the World Cup having previously run the 400- and 800-metres as a junior athlete, though she last competed in 2019. The 20-year-old Mpumalanga-born forward had always hoped to be a footballer, but due to limited opportunities at home, turned her hand to athletics. She never gave up on her dream though and was crowned the Varsity Football Player of the Tournament in 2021. She currently plays for the University of Pretoria, where she is a student in horticulture.

HILDAH MAGAIA

It was Magaia’s goals in the final that took South Africa to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title in Morocco and she will hope to also making a scoring impression at the World Cup. That was part of a meteoric rise that has seen her play in Sweden and South Korea in the last few years, honing her craft with a glut of goals. She has previously played University of Pretoria and the Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa, and was voted best player at the COSAFA Women’s Championship in 2020. Her eye for goal could be crucial Down Under.