Kaizer Chiefs reserve side defender Gopolang Taunyana has explained his football journey after once being a promising referee.
Taunyana is currently with Chiefs where he won the DStv Diski Challenge title last season for the first time. The defender who started his football journey at Jozi Stars before becoming a match referee, spoke to SK from Cape Winelands FM stating how his football journey went.
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The young defender was once named referee of the tournament in one of the biggest youth tournaments – the Engen Knockout Challenge. A year later, he was named Defender of the Tournament when Chiefs won it.
“I started playing football at the age of eight. And from there, it’s been, it’s been a roller coaster,” Taunyana told SK from Cape Winelands FM.
“I’ve been [through] lots of ups and downs, but here am I today, playing for one of the biggest teams, and I’m so proud of it, and I love it. Week in, week out, I go in, and I give everything with how I got to football.
“I started playing at a local club, at Jozi Stars, and then from there I went to Randburg FC. And then after Randburg, I joined Kaizer Chiefs in 2023 and it’s been a journey.
“And then between Randburg and Jozi Stars, I became a referee also, because I really loved the game. And I wanted to know more. I was very interested in the game.
“And then from there, I did a refereeing course, and then I officiated at the biggest tournament in the country, the Engen Knockout and Engen Champ of Champs, and then at Engen 2022, I was named the Referee of the Tournament.
“I was the first referee at my age to win it. I was 16 when I won that thing. Two years later, came back with Kaizer Chiefs, and we won it. And I won Defender of the Tournament.
“From there, I went on to be selected for the national team. I played my first debut last year in August for the Under 20.
“From there, I went on to win the COSAFA with the Under 20. Went on to win the AFCON with Under 20. And I went on to win the league with Kaizer Chiefs. And, yeah, that is my journey.”
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