The Language Of Football
Thembi Kgatlana, South Africa
My name is Thembi Kgatlana and I am a professional football player for Racing Louisville in the NWSL. I also represent the South African Women's National team known as Banyana Banyana. I have been out of the national team for the last 11 months due to injury. And I am delighted to rejoin the team after such a long time to connect on the progress that the team has made since my last game with them.
At the start, my football journey was very difficult. I did not have a lot of support from my parents, and my community was hostile towards girls who wanted to play football. I started playing with my "boy" friends at school and joined their team. It was challenging at school, because I was mocked by girls who believed that playing football was for boys.
The best moment for me was being named the women’s African Player of the Year in 2018 and scoring the first World Cup goal for South Africa at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019. The most influential people in my life are the people who challenge me to be better. It can be a random person on the street telling me to keep going or telling me to be disciplined. People who teach me things that are valuable in life.
What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?
I showed my teammates, coaches and technical staff in the pictures. These photos were taken at my club Racing Louisville, as I spend all of my days with my teammates. And the photos with the national team are taken in our local camp in South Africa before going to the World Cup.
I wanted to show that sports have the power to connect people from all walks of life. It does not matter where you come from, how you look, what language you speak. When we are in the same team, we understand the language of football. And that brings us so much happiness in our lives.
What is one thing you always do to prepare before a game?
I always do my devotion. Spend time alone to worship, read the bible and pray. This helps me to focus much better and to be very calm about a lot of things.
What are the opportunities and challenges for women’s footballers in South Africa and USA? What changes have you seen in women’s football since you started playing?
The challenge for women footballers in South Africa is that they still have to work or study because women’s football is not professionalised. There are some teams that lack resources and facilities to help the girls in South Africa and this can be discouraging to their progress. The NWSL has existed for over 10 years and they have done incredible things for the development of their players.
What role does football play in your community and South African society?
Football plays a huge role in my community. It brings people together and it makes us appreciate the sport a lot. Football is the heart of South African sport. It allows people to connect at work, on the streets, on the fields, at school and it brings so much joy and excitement in the country.
What does football and representing your country mean to you?
Playing football and representing my country means a lot to me. I wear the jersey with so much pride because I understand that I represent all the people of South Africa. I also represent all those girls who wanted to wear the national jersey but for some reason could not wear it. I love to see the happiness that I bring on people's faces by just playing football.
What are your personal ambitions for the future?
I want to bring so many opportunities to girls and women footballers in South Africa and to build a culture of success through playing football. And to break some of the stereotypes that are still in our communities that women cannot play football or sports and excel.
What does the future look like for women's football? What do you want/expect to change after the 2023 Women’s World Cup?
The future looks bright. There are a lot of possibilities and opportunities now for women’s footballers around the world. The growth brings attention to women's sport in general. My hope after the World Cup is to see more countries stepping up to create and professionalise women's football in their countries.
