Could any of the African teams shock the world?

The Total Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) comes with great anticipation and the celebration of the continent’s women who have thrived in soccer. After we have given the medals and sang the national anthems on the day of the final match. We might all know that one of the objectives of the Total Africa Women’s Cup of Nations is not just to determine the champion, but to select the three teams that will represent the continent in the Women’s World Cup. In this 2019 edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup; Nigeria, South Africa and Cameroon will be there to show the world what Africa has to offer.

In our previous article, we gave an analysis of how each of these teams have been preparing for this grand challenge. The questions that are still lingering in most of our minds is; with all these preparations that are taking place, could the world just be pleasantly shocked by what Africa can bring to the table? Could this be the year that brings a fresh perspective on how the world views Africa? Before we get into what the teams might eventually come up with, it would be prudent to begin by analysing the starting place of each team which is how they performed at the 2018 AWCON, the current odds and what they might just shock with. Even beyond that, we want to explore the bigger conversation about the necessity and relevance of predicting how teams will perform at a tournament way before the matches begin.

Nigeria

Since 1991, the Super Falcons have never missed any World Cup. They will be appearing in the Women’s World Cup for the 8th time. As expected, this has come after the team has won the AWCON Cup, a staggering 11 times out of 12. Even in 2018, the Super Falcons did not disappoint as they still snatched the title from South Africa by a 4-3 scoreline. Even though the fortunate and timely winning only came by a “lottery” penalty shoot-out, it still allowed the celebration to fall on the West African side. Some critics claim that Nigeria’s performance in the AWCON was not up to standard with some moments where it could even be doubted that they would win this year. Regardless of that view, others still believed that some Nigerian players still did well during the tournament with Asisat Ashoala scoring the second highest number of goals in the tournament and Tochukwu Oluehi getting the best goalkeeper award. These are the players that will still be in the World Cup squad in France. The different opinions then inform the predictions of how these ladies may perform on the upcoming tournaments.

Despite the multiple World Cup appearances, it looks like the Super Falcons’ dominance is only constricted within the African continent. The most devastating results came in China 1991 and 2013 in the United States where none of the team’s efforts resulted in a goal. They could not get even a single goal throughout the tournament.  The Super Falcons did finish in the top 8 in the 1999 World Cup which still remains their highlight today. With such an unimpressive track record, what are the odds that this year might be the year that the team wipes the tears of all Nigerians who have wept since 1991? That is a difficult question to respond to because it is really hard to pin down the challenges behind the Super Falcons’ disappointing performance at an international level. It might be the pressure that comes with knowing what is at stake, the strength of the other teams or just the inevitable losses that come with any sport. Some analysts attribute these losses to the fact that some of these players are not fit enough and the team has not worked on their playing system. Those arguments were valid before the current coach Thomas Dennerby joined the team and moved a couple of things around.

Recent predictions of who is most likely going to win the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup; USA, France and Germany were at the top of that list. After scrolling down and down the list, the Nigerian team finally appeared as the 20th most likely team to win the World Cup. This is, by the way, the most likely team amongst the three African teams that will be present. The probability score that was assigned to them was 250/1. In short, very few people, if any at all believe that the Super Falcons are likely going to win the World Cup. But that is exactly what will make it a shock, right? If a team with such a low prediction does not only rise to the top but carries the title home, the world could be pleasantly surprised.

Asisat Oshoala who is a star player of the Nigerian team and plays for Barcelona was quoted saying, “In football anything is possible. We are a team in progress and we will surely spring surprises during the World Cup.”

South Africa

After standing just one goal away from taking the AWCON cup home, Banyana Banyana will be attending the Women’s World Cup for the first time. As it can be assumed of a debut appearance, it has been predicted that South Africa is least likely going to win. Actually, out of the 24 teams that will be there, South Africa is considered as the 22nd most likely team, just above Jamaica and Thailand. What we cannot overlook though, is that after the AWCON, South Africa is armed with the Best Player in Africa and top goal scorer of that tournament, Thembi Kgatlana. Beyond that award, and of course, the silver medals, a couple of other South African players also got awards for scoring goals at the tournament. After carrying the team to the finals, we cannot dismiss the possibility of her doing the same at the World Cup this June.

I moved around asking for people’s opinions and one respondent said, “South Africa might not have the experience and many key players, but what they have is a united front. Just like Croatia, they might just shock the world.” In the 2018 FIFA World Cup, there were other renowned and presumably more deserving teams like Germany and Portugal, but Croatia silenced all skeptics and made it to the finals. History and fate might just collaborate to bring the same for South Africa. Even though South Africa have not often participated at the international level, they have proactively sought opportunities to get this kind of exposure before the tournament commences. In April, they had a match with Jamaica who will also be at the World Cup. Banyana have played other teams like the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States in an attempt to get experience. They will face Norway on the 2nd of June 2019 to get a final sense of their readiness. But really, to what extent does experience matter? Would South Africa’s lack of international experience work against them?

None of the teams that have won the World Cup since its inception in 1991 did so on their first attempt. The United States which has won the World Cup three times have been there since the beginning. There is a unique kind of value and lesson that can only come by being in the heat of the international pressure that comes with such a tournament. Sometimes, not even an international friendly game can give a taste of what it feels like, which is South Africa’s reality. Experience cannot really be substituted. We cannot fully anticipate what their performance will be like, but we are always behind our teams regardless of how low the odds could be.

Cameroon

After beating Mali 4-2 in the third-place play-off match last year, the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon secured their place in this year Women’s World Cup. Just like all the other African teams, the team is also anticipated to perform poorly at the upcoming tournament and has been given a probability score of 500/1 which is the same as South Africa. They appear as the 21st most likely to lift the trophy. Given that the Cameroonians will be appearing for the second time in the tournament, they have had some lessons to incorporate from the 2015 edition where they went as far the round 16.

Unlike Banyana Banyana, this team has not had enough opportunities to explore a lot of international opportunities during the preparation stage for the tournament. They have prepared mainly through domestic means which is a method that has been criticised for its inability to represent the reality of tournaments as big as the World Cup. Even though that might be true, we cannot escape that some countries do not have enough resources to prepare their teams to the desired levels. Cameroon has, however, participated in the Chinese Four-nation tournament where they came second to China. That is something impressive on its own. It might not be all the necessary exposure, but it did give the team an idea of what to expect. They expect to seal their preparations with a friendly match against Spain later this May. Their forward Njoya Ajara who has been making waves recently, says she is optimistic that they will do better this year. In spite of how optimistic teams can be, they still face a lot of negativity from the outside world. This then raises a question, that if all teams have qualified for a certain tournament, is it necessary to then predict how they will perform? In whose best interest are these predictions?

Are predictions necessary and helpful?

It has become a tradition that before any major tournament or game, sports pundits would dedicate time to predicting the outcome of that tournament. The Women’s World Cup has not been excluded from that tradition. The challenge with predictions is that they perpetuate pre-tournament stereotypes. Predictions label teams as winners and losers even before they are given a chance which could affect the team’s motivation. I cannot begin to imagine what must be in the Thailand training sessions after they have been declared as the least team that could possibly win this title. After a team has gone through the hustles of qualifying for the tournament, they are implicitly told they are not good enough. We cannot even be sure of the effect of such stereotypes on the objectivity of some decisions on the field of play. There are difficult moments like when a goal has to be validated or a foul has to be considered, knowing how a team is viewed can have an effect of the outcome of the decision.

However, it would also be blindly optimistic of us to assume that all teams in a certain tournament have an equal chance. Such a stance could be undermining the role of data. Predictions are based on teams’ previous performances, which cannot be ignored. They are not necessarily based on any ill intentions, but the aim is to raise awareness and excitement about the game. In fact, such predictions can be the reason why fans watch the games to see if they are being verified. After all, this article is also predicting a future which is a bit different from what the rest of the world is anticipating.

Conclusion

The three teams that will represent Africa are not there by coincidence or mistake. They were at the top of the AWCON because they worked hard, re-strategised quickly and learned fast even in the midst of the championship battle. There seems to be a bigger barrier when it comes to the World Cup which might be because of the way they are perceived by the rest of the world. It might also be because of real technicalities that they will need to work on to be on top of their game. Whatever the challenge might be, a bit of optimism here and there is always useful which is something that all the teams have in common. For Nigeria, this is when the experience they have gotten over the years might propel the Super Falcons to fly higher. To South Africa, nobody said small and new beginnings cannot explode to impressive success. Cameroon, the reason why you are at the World Cup again is that the first one was not enough to expose your greatness, here is another chance. Nobody knows, but could any of the African teams shock the world?

Banyana Banyana striker makes big move to Spain

South Africa line up prior to to 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)

Banyana players continue to move abroad as women's football in the country appears to be heading in the right direction. Just when one thought the South African women’s team has done well for themselves after their recent exploits in the 2018 Women’s AFCON tourney, more and more good news keep coming in for the National team players. Banyana Banyana striker Ode Fulutudilu has pulled off a great surprise and went on to sign for Spanish side Malaga, becoming the first ever South African woman to play in Spain. The little known 28-year-old forward joins Malaga from Finnish side Naisten Liiga where she had a season high of 15 goals from 23 matches, showing her prowess in front of goal. Her good run in Finland eventually caught the attention of coach Desiree Ellis and earned her a call up to the Banyana Banyana setup for an international friendly against Chile. Fulutudilu’s origins can be traced back to DR Congo where she was born before moving to South Africa.

While in Mzansi, she went on to play in the Sasol Women’s League where she shone so much that she attracted interest from overseas clubs and eventually settled at Finnish club Oulu Nice. Unfortunately, Fulutudilu missed out on a place in the Banyana Banyana team that impressively went all the way to the finals of the recent 2018 Women’s AFCON tournament. However, Fulutudilu will be hoping to do well in order to be considered by coach Desiree Ellis for the Women’s FIFA world cup taking place in France later this year. Speaking on her move to Malaga, Ode said "I am so extremely excited about this next chapter. I hope to fly the South African flag high and take it to places that have never seen our talent before". That said, eyes will be on Ode to impress at her new club and lift the South African flag high. She will also be eyeing a place in South Africa's squad for June's World Cup in France.

2018 AFCON Women's Build Up: Kenya out of Women’s AFCON; Nigeria and South Africa name squads

“The player Annette Jacky Messomo is eligible to play for the National Team of Equatorial Guinea.   ”

— Confederation of African Football

AFCON 2018 latest developments; Equatorial Guinea joins Nigeria, Zambia, Ghana, Mali, Algeria, Cameroon and South Africa as Kenya makes an humiliating exit from Africa Women’s Cup of Nations. CAF has overturned a decision to ban Equatorial Guinea from the competition after Federación Ecuatoguineana de Fútbol appealed the October 2018 ban imposed by CAF’s Disciplinary Council for allegedly fielding an ineligible player for a second leg tie of the 2019 AFCON qualifiers. CAF announced in a statement that an enquiry into the case of Annette Jacky Messomo who had been previously deemed to be ineligible to play for Nzalang Nacional because the footballer was a Cameroonian, had led to the decision to reinstate Equatorial Guinea.

Miriam of Equatorial Guinea issues instructions during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011 Group D match between Equatorial Guinea and Brazil at FIFA World Cup stadium Frankfurt on July 6, 2011 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

(July 5, 2011 - Source: Christof Koepsel/Getty Images Europe)

Equatorial Guinea have won the tournament twice in the past and once finished as runners up to Nigeria. In 2016, Nzalang Nacional was also banned after it was discovered that they fielded ineligible players against Mali in the qualifiers. Accusations of an identical offense in this year’s qualifiers against Kenya brought a fresh ban that saw them disqualified from the tournament. The Harambe Queens of Kenya had taken the remainder of the eight spots after the exit of Equatorial Guinea. Now that the decision has been overturned, Equatorial Guinea will replace Kenya in Group B where they will face Zambia in their first match on the 18th of November.

Meanwhile, Group B rivals South Africa and Nigeria have announced their 21 women squads that will be in Ghana. The Super Eagles who are now in training camp in Ivory Coast have announced a squad that consists of 13 overseas players including star player Asisat Oshoala, who is currently with Dalian Quanjian F.C. in the Chinese Women’s Super League and  Desire Oparanozie who plays for French side En Avant de Guingamp. South Africa are set to face hosts Ghana in a friendly at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium this Sunday in Accra .

Equatorial Guinea will face tough challenges from Nigeria and South Africa in the group stages. After a rocky start, they now have a chance to play for the championship title and for a third place qualifying finish for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.

FT Sideline: Are Banyana Banyana better than Bafana Bafana?

“On the other hand, Banyana Banyana have been growing in leaps and bounds. The quality of their football has consistently improved over time. Unlike the men’s team, Banyana Banyana do not get as much resources compared to their male colleagues and yet, they have been able to put in consistent performances for a long time now.”

— Siphosethu Thwala, FirstTouch Africa

It is an open secret that most South African football lovers consider the National women’s team to be better than the men’s team, Banyana Banyana, and their showing in the AFCON women’s cup pays testimony to such assertions.

Led by the evergreen Desiree Ellis, Banyana Banyana have been dishing out stellar performances at the soon to end Women’s championships in Ghana and they have done the impossible as they have not only secured a place in the final of the AWCON against rivals Nigeria, but they have also booked themselves a spot in the women’s FIFA world cup in France next year! Quite remarkable if you ask me.

Teko Modise, Bernard Parker, Tshepo Masilela and Steven Pienaar of South Africa celebrate Parker's second goal during the FIFA Confederations Cup match between South Africa and New Zealand at Royal Bafokeng stadium on June 17, 2009 in Rustenburg, South Africa.

(June 15, 2009 - Source: Gallo Images/Getty Images Europe)

On one side, Bafana Bafana have been struggling for results to help them qualify for the upcoming 2019 AFCON tournament whose venue is yet to be confirmed after Cameroon was stripped of the hosting rights. At present, Bafana sit second in their group, behind Nigeria who have already secured their qualification at the back of the draw with Bafana Bafana in early November. As such, Stuart Baxter's men need at least a point against Libya in their last game in order to seal their qualification. The inconsistent performances have certainly not helped the team’s fortunes as more criticism has continued to fall over them, with some even calling for Stuart Baxter’s sacking. To add, Bafana's failure to qualify for any of the major international competitions since the 2010 FIFA world cup (which they qualified as hosts) has rather tarnished the team’s reputation and raised more questions from the football fraternity.

On the other hand, Banyana Banyana have been growing in leaps and bounds. The quality of their football has consistently improved over time. Unlike the men’s team, Banyana Banyana do not get as much resources compared to their male colleagues and yet, they have been able to put in consistent performances for a long time now. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Bafana Bafana. Such positive showing has drawn the attention of most  South Africans who have called on the South African football body, SAFA, for Banyana Banyana to receive the same kind of remuneration, perks, benefits and sponsorship monies as their male counterparts, Bafana Bafana.

With all being said, perhaps for some it is not a black or white answer regarding which is the better team, taking into account the differing dynamics in which both sides play in. However, Banyana Banyana have slowly emerged as the only silver lining representing the South African nation in international football.

On a lighter note, many are fanying a Bafana Bafana match up against the Ladies team in order to see who is better. Are Banyana better than Bafana?

2019 Women's AFCON Semis: Mali, Cameroon, South Africa & Nigeria go to war

Augustine Ejangue of Cameroon battles with Barbara of Brazil during the Women's Football first round Group E Match of the London 2012 Olympic Games between Cameroon and Brazil at Millennium Stadium on July 25, 2012 in Cardiff, Wales.

(July 24, 2012 - Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe)

Nigeria, Mali, South Africa and Cameroon have made it to the semi finals of the Africa Women’s Cup of nations.

Friday night saw the last Group A matches being played with Ghana taking on Cameroon and Mali  taking on Algeria. Ghana failed to recover from the setback of losing to Mali 2-1 in the second group encounter. The Black Queens needed a win to secure a semi final appearance but unfortunately they were held to a 1-1 draw by Cameroon’s fierce Indomitable Lionesses. Mali on the other hand had their date with destiny as they overcame Algeria 3-2.

Nigeria successfully dismissed Equatorial Guinea on Saturday with a 6-0 defeat while South Africa and Zambia drew 1-1. Equatorial Guinea finished at the bottom of Group B standings as the two time champions lost all three of their group stages matches. The very poor performance comes as a huge blow to the Nzalang Nacional who had successfully appealed a ban by CAF to claim their qualification just in the nick of time.Their poor performance is highly indicative of their lack of adequate preparation time despite their successful appeal.

Group A winners Cameroon will now face Nigeria in their semi-final clash on Tuesday. This semi-final will feel to many like a final due to the competitive history of these two giants in the tournament. Nigeria are ten time champions while the Cameroonians are still to claim the title despite being very close on a number of occasions. The last time Cameroon came close to lifting the cup was in the 2016 edition of AWCON when Nigeria dashed their dreams in the final once again as they did in 2014. The Indomitable Lionesses are definitely up to the task of dismissing the Nigerians, however the Super Falcons have never been an easy match for the Cameroonians or vice versa.

“Whenever we play Cameroon, it is always a big fight. We are prepared for the big fight tomorrow and we are sure we will come out victorious. There is no doubt that the Cameroonians have improved from the team we defeated in Yaounde in 2016. But that is expected.”

— Onome Ebi, Super Falcons Captain

Ngozi Okobi #13 of Nigeria reacts after scoring the first goal against Sweden during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Group D match between Sweden and Nigeria at Winnipeg Stadium on June 8, 2015 in Winnipeg, Canada.

(June 7, 2015 - Source: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images North America)

Banyana Banyana will meet Mali in their semi final encounter which promises to be just as exciting. Banyana Banyana have continued with their pre-tournament form and have been consistently churning out solid performances. Along with combined efforts, Thembi Kgatlana has been a star player and an important asset for South Africa in the attack as well as a goal scoring maestro. Despite their superior group stage performance, Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis is not taking any chances by unrating their west African counterparts. After all, Mali caused the biggest upset thus far after knocking out hosts Ghana to qualify for the semi finals by finishing second in Group A, a fact that the South Africans are very much aware of.

I predict a Nigeria vs South Africa final simply because of South Africa’s superb tournament form and because of Nigeria’s hunger and determination that saw them bouncing back from that initial loss in the first game. Are we going to see South Africa vs Nigeria go head to head in the final or perhaps it will be a Mali vs Cameroon affair? Either way, the teams that claim the first, second and third positions will receive an automatic qualification to the 2019 FIFA World Cup, a goal that will be at the top of the minds for all four countries going into their semi-final showdowns.

“The semi-finals against Mali is an all final and our thoughts are going to be the same. We are not underestimating any team,...They are not as mean. They kicked out hosts Ghana who are a competitive side and that tells a lot about their quality.”

— Desiree Ellis, South Africa Women's Coach

2018 Women's AFCON: 3 Lessons to learn from COSAFA 2018

“The players were exposed to so much pressure as the coach needed to trim the squad from 29 players to 21 players as per the requirements of the tournament. That, on its own heightened the pressure as the team members needed to prove that they are worthy of retainment.”

— Simiso Shabangu, FirstTouch Africa

When South Africa decided to call herself using the name of a region, the other countries in the Southern part of Africa then seemed to be invisible. Even those that know about this region easily associate it with Nelson Mandela.  Fortunately, the COSAFA Women’s Championship showed that Southern Africa has more incredible things to offer. This September, the tournament which is organised by the Council of Southern Africa Football Association gathered the 10 teams from Southern Africa. They also invited Uganda and Cameroon not miss out on what the South has to offer.

Our interest is beyond the wins that were accomplished here but it is deeply in the three lessons that we could derive from from the battle that these ladies fought on the field. Lessons difficult to ignore as the 2018 Total Women’s Africa Cup of Nations looms.

1. In the modern day of GOATs, the old adage of teamwork prevails

Desiree Scott of Canada and Andisiwe Mgcoyi of South Africa contest for the ball during the Women's Football first round Group F Match of the London 2012 Olympic Games between Canada and South Africa, at City of Coventry Stadium on July 28, 2012 in Coventry, England.

(July 27, 2012 - Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images Europe)

The tournament reminded us that if anyone is to succeed in anything they do, they should leverage the strength of other people. This was a lesson that was echoed by winner of the player of the match award in the final, Kaylin Swart, who was quoted saying “I want to say thank you especially to the girls as we could not have done it without each other..and honestly, it is a team effort.” South Africa (Banyana Banyana) walked away from the tournament with the 2018 COSAFA title and they accredited that to the fact that they were willing to close the gap for each other and most importantly, were ready to accept each other’s lesser strengths which is basically what teamwork is about.

2.  Competition Brings Out the Best in You

Ideally, this tournament is meant for the Southern part of the region, but as mentioned two nations were brought in as guest nations. They were Cameroon and Uganda. These two teams outdid the Southern teams with Cameron making it to the finals while Uganda snatched the bronze medal. Had these teams not been here, countries like Zambia would have ended at a higher position. These guest nations came in for the competition, revealing to sides like She-polopolo of Zambia that that they still had something to work on. Sometimes we dislike competition but it is losing to teams like the Cameronian team that will enable Southern African  teams to work on their weaknesses in preparation of the 2018 Total Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

3. Status Cannot Substitute Hard Work

Andisiwe Mgcoyi attends the Team South Africa Training Session at Sportschule Hennef on July 11, 2012 in Hennef, Germany.

(July 10, 2012 - Source: Mathis Wienand/Getty Images Europe)

More than any other country, Banyana Banyana has won the Women’s COSAFA Cup a record, five times. They walked into the tourney as undisputable favorites also boasting of Olympic Games appearances. With such an impressive track record, one could think that South Africa should have rested and not worked as hard in the 2018 edition. However, ahead of the tournament, the Banyana Banyana coach called the team to a gruelling training camp in Johannesburg from the 5th to the 10th of September. The players were exposed to so much pressure as the coach needed to trim the squad from 29 players to 21 players as per the requirements of the tournament. That, on its own heightened the pressure as the team members needed to prove that they are worthy of retainment. The hard work invested into this tournament paid off for South Africa as they were able to defend the title. Surely, yesterday’s victories do not guarantee today’s victory if hard work is eliminated from the process.

FT African Legends Series: The ultimate "markswoman", Portia Modise

As we draw closer towards the much anticipated 2018 Women's Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Ghana from the 17th of November to 1st of December, we celebrate some great legends of the game on the continent.

While the men’s South African team has been struggling to score goals. The women’s team, Banyana Banyana had a gem who used to score goals for fun in Portia Modise. Below we profile this unsung hero who knew what it meant to be a striker during her playing days.

blog, football, feature, Portia Modise, Arsenal Women’s team, Banyana Banyana, AWC,SAFA, CAF, Mali, Soweto, London Olympics

Background

Nicknamed “Bashin” after the football great Alfred “Bashin” Mahlangu, Portia was born in June 1983 in the famous township of Soweto in South Africa.

Contribution to the game

With a scoring prowess which was second to none, Portia Modise became the first African (amongst both men and women) to amass more than 100 international goals. Yes you read that right. She scored 102 goals in 119 appearances for Banyana Banyana in an unbelievable career which was filled with various accolades and achievements. Modise was named Player of the tournament at the Women African Championships held in 2006 for her stellar performances even though Banyana Banyana could only finish as first runner-ups. Moreover, “Bashin” was also part of the Banyana Banyana squad which represented South Africa at the 2012 London Olympic games.

Club Career

Professionally, Portia played for various South Africa teams including Soweto Ladies F.C where she scored 51 goals for the club . She also played for teams like Falcons F.C, and Croesus Ladies which were locally based teams. In 2007, Modise received an opportunity to play in Europe. She signed a two-year deal to play in Denmark for premier league team Fortuna Hjorring, before she returned to South Africa in 2009 to play for the Palace Super Falcons. Also worth noting is that back in 2003, Modise almost played for the Arsenal women’s football team, once upon a time in her glorious career. However, the move failed to materialize mainly due to finance and sponsorship details, despite Modise impressing the then Arsenal coach.

“With a scoring prowess which was second to none, “Bashin” became the first African (yes you read that right) to amass more than 100 international goals in 124 appearances. Such a record epitomized the true legend that she was in a male-dominated sport like football.”

— Siphosethu Thwala, FirstTouch Africa

International Career

Portia’s glimmering career was earmarked mainly by her amazing exploits at national team level. She began playing for Banyana Banyana back in 2000 aged 16. While playing for Banyana Banyana, she was instrumental in helping the team qualify for the 2008 African Women's Championship held in Equatorial Guinea. She also helped the team qualify for the 2012 London Olympic games where she scored the team’s only goal during the whole tournament. With a scoring prowess which was second to none, “Bashin” became the first African (yes you read that right) to amass more than 100 international goals in 124 appearances. Such a record epitomized the true legend that she was in a male-dominated sport like football. She finally hung her boots in 2015 after an illustrious career.

Career Accolades and Achievements

Portia Modise of South Africa celebrates scoring during the Women's Football first round Group F Match of the London 2012 Olympic Games between Sweden and South Africa, at City of Coventry Stadium on July 25, 2012 in Coventry, England.

(July 24, 2012 - Source: Sindy Thomas/Getty Images Europe) 

Portia’s amazing career was nothing short of achievements to back up her legendary status. For instance, Modise was nominated for the Women's FIFA World Player of the Year award back in 2005. She was also nominated for the 2006 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women's Football of the Year award. Furthermore, Modise won the 2006 player of the year championship at the Women’s African Football Championship. She also went on to win the much coveted South African Sports Star award in the year 2014. What’s more, to close off a wonderful footballing career, “Bashin” was honoured by the South African Football Association (SAFA) after scoring her 100th goal for Banyana Banyana in the African Women’s Championship (AWC) in Namibia, 2014.

Women’s football still lags behind in coverage both in Africa and internationally, however those who did get the opportunity to see Modise in action will know that she had skill and inherent talent beyond that of many of her male counterparts. Not many have been able to mimic nor reach the class exuded by Portia Modise during her days. Nonetheless, the upcoming Women’s AFCON provides the appropriate platform for Africa and the rest of the world to see new talent that can take Women’s football by storm and reach the level  of Portia Modise. Will we see more of the Portia Modise, or was she one of a kind? You make the call.