Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Neo Maema says he will continue to work hard and remain patient for his chance to represent the South Africa national team.
Maema, 27, has emerged as one of the leading performers in South African football since making a switch from the now-defunct Bloemfontein Celtic to Sundowns.
He’s formed part of an impressive midfield diamond alongside Teboho Mokoena, Marcelo Allende and Themba Zwane and could feel hard done by for not earning a nomination for the Midfielder of the Season.
However, for all his impressive displays, that has seen him become one of the first names on the teamsheet at Masandawana, he’s not featured for Bafana Bafana before or even the junior national team over the course of his career and was again not part of Hugo Broos’ latest Bafana Bafana squad.
“The Bafana Bafana issue, it’s actually, I’m more of a spiritual person and I believe in God with everything I have, I know how it feels for a player to actually represent their country,” he said when asked about his omissions by iDiski Times at the Sundowns’ Hyundai event.
“I can see – if those people who were called up to the national team, if they are called upon as an answered prayer – who I am to fight God?
“I also try to make sure that I actually stay consistent in my performances, although it’s not been that consistent, you know… but I make sure I’m continuing to raise my level and I’ll wait for my chance.
“It will come, it will open – God has his own ways of doing things.”
Maema has scored seven goals and registered five assists in 39 appearances in the 2022/23 season as they won the DStv Premiership and reached the semi-finals of the MTN8, Nedbank Cup quarter-finals and CAF Champions League last-four.
