From joining the Banyana Banyana environment as a 16-year-old training player to building a professional career abroad, Linda Motlhalo is now on the brink of an extraordinary milestone — her 100th cap for South Africa.
For Motlhalo, approaching a century of international appearances has brought back memories of where her journey began.
“It’s such an honour that I know I’m going to be on 100 caps soon. It’s an amazing feeling,” she told SAFA Media.
“It reminds me of 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 has been a long journey with a lot of ups and downs, but it has been a beautiful one.”
Motlhalo first entered the Banyana environment at only 16, initially as a training player surrounded by some of the country’s leading footballers.
“I was with Banyana at the age of 16, actually. Training with the likes of Nompumelelo Nyandeni, Janine van Wyk, Amanda Dlamini – players that I looked up to.”
Rather than rushing her into senior international football, Pauw gave the young midfielder time to develop and become accustomed to the demands of the senior national team.
“I was very patient, and I think Coach Vera was also very patient with me. She made me understand that it wasn’t my time yet to play with the senior players. I was there as a training player.”
That patience paid off in 2016 when Motlhalo earned her first cap against Cameroon at the age of 17 — and marked the occasion by scoring.
“When 2016 came and I got my first cap against Cameroon, I didn’t struggle because of all the training sessions I had done the previous year. It made sense that I was ready to play,” she recalled.
That first appearance remains one of the most significant moments of her career.
“It has to be the first cap because it’s the one that opened so many opportunities for me to be where I am now.”
Living the dream
Those opportunities have taken Motlhalo far beyond the ambitions she had as a young footballer.
“I’ve lived my dream. I’ve achieved it earlier than I expected because I always imagined I’d play for Banyana Banyana at around 22 or 23, but it happened much earlier,” she said.
Motlhalo has also turned that dream into a successful professional career abroad. Her journey has included spells with Houston Dash in the United States, Beijing BG Phoenix in China, Djurgården in Sweden, Racing Louisville in the United States and Glasgow City in Scotland, where she currently continues her professional career.
Despite the international experience and achievements accumulated along the way, Motlhalo says representing her country remains an opportunity she refuses to take for granted.
“I never take anything for granted because I know there are so many talented players across Africa. Every chance and every minute I get, I make sure I use it because I know these opportunities don’t come easily.”
From a 16-year-old training alongside players she admired, to living her dream as a professional footballer abroad and now standing one appearance away from a century for her country, Motlhalo’s journey has come full circle.
Now, cap number 100 awaits.
Written by: Sandile Ndumo
