South Africa Under-20 coach Raymond Mdaka had nothing but praise for the vital role that has been played by the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) in the resurrection of South African football.
Mdaka, who led Amajita to their first ever gold medal at the junior Africa Cup of Nations beating Morocco 1-0 in the final on Sunday night, stated that DDC's contribution has been beautiful to witness and essential for the future.
"Number of players that you see are playing in the DDC (DStv Diski Challenge). Most of them were promoted to their respective senior teams after our games in Mozambique (late last year where Amajita won the Cosafa Cup and booked their spot to Africa Cup of Nations), which says a lot, we seem to be getting there because that is the foundation of the senior national team," Mdaka said after clinching the historic victory.
"Adding to that, our under-17 has qualified for the World Cup as a country, which means we need to put more on development because that is where it can take us somewhere in terms of our football.
He added: "Again, salute to the DDC because it made it easy for us to be able to see players week in week out going to different places. If it wasn't for the DDC were not going to see them but through the DDC we are able to see them and track the players, salute to them they have done a good job for the country."
The DDC was launched in 2014 as the MultiChoice Diski Challenge through a partnership with the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
It brought structure, regular competition, and exposure, creating a talent pipeline for South African football by providing a platform for young players to develop their skills and potentially move up to professional leagues.
It acts as a development pathway for both players and coaches, offering opportunities to gain exposure and experience.
The recently ended campaign of the DDC, which was won by Kaizer Chiefs marked 10 years of the league, and without any doubt, it is now bearing fruit.
Players honed their skills in the DDC and went on to become powerhouses in the big league, while others moved overseas.
The junior national teams are also the big beneficiaries, as the Under-17 and Under-20 have qualified for the World Cup. It could mark a perfect year, as Bafana Bafana is also on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup.