Banyana Banyana midfield sensation Linda Motlhalo is beaming with pride as she closes in on her 100th cap for the national team.
The 28-year-old dimunitive star made her Banyana debut at just 17 back in 2016, scoring in a 2-2 draw against Ghana.
She is now just one cap away from joining an elite group of 12 Banyana players who’ve clocked a century of caps at senior level.
Speaking to safa.net, the “Randfontein Ronaldinho” has embraced her long journey and equally thanked those who played a pivotal role in shaping her into the player she is.
“It’s such an honour that I know I’m going to be on 100 caps soon,” she said.
“An amazing feeling and it’s that thing of me remembering my first cap when coach Vera [Pauw] gave me the opportunity at the age of 17. Now you’re on number 100, it’s such an honour.
“It’s been a long journey, a lot of ups and downs, but it has been a beautiful one.”
On Her Banyana Debut
“But let me take it back to 2015, before 2016. I was with Banyana Banyana at the age of 16 actually and training with the likes of many of the players that I looked up to,” she added.
“I was very patient and I think also coach Vera was very patient with me, and she made me understand that now it’s not the time for me to be able to play with the senior players, I was a training player.
“So, when 2016 happened, when I got my first cap against Cameroon, I didn’t even struggle because I remembered all the training sessions that I did back in 2015. That’s when I understood that coach Vera knew when I was ready.”
The Glasgow City player could earn her 100th cap as early as this evening when South Africa take on Tanzania in their Group B 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations opener.
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