10 January Transfers Everyone Wants To See: #10 Thembi Kgatlana
No matter how good some players are, football players or otherwise – they kind of need a bigger turf or neighbourhood to show that they belong, to prove that they have the “it” factor. Such is the story of some of the most exciting professional footballers in the game today, they can only become as big as the club they play for and we have a few names that many would want to see move to other pastures. Some have been rumoured away from their clubs and some haven’t but sooner rather than later, transfers are inevitable. Having saved the best for last, now we unleash her.
Thembi Kgatlana of South Africa runs with the ball during the Women's Group E first round match between South Africa and China PR on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 6, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
(Aug. 5, 2016 - Source: Harry How/Getty Images South America)
South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana is without a shadow of doubt, the biggest and baddest woman footballer on the continent right now, though small in stature. The 22-year-old was explosive for Banyana Banyana during the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup Of Nations tournament held in November. She capped a historic tournament for Banyana by winning the top goal scorer and the player of the tournament award, even ahead of the acclaimed Asisat Oshoala who has seen and done it all. In the coming weeks, she has another chance to claim a place among the world’s best footballers as South Africa makes a historic FIFA World cup appearance in France 2019. She currently plies her trade in the USA for National Women’s Soccer League side, Houston Dash. She has not been rumoured away but many are quite excited with the prospect of Thembi eventually exploring leagues such as the Women’s English Premier League, Ligue 1 or join Asisat in the Chinese Super League. They all want to see her win some of the most celebrated trophies in global club football, all the while raising the South African flag up high. Because of her age, the timeline of the move is not a concern for her fans, they feel it will surface soon or later and will be behind her, all the way.