Banyana Banyana international, Linda Motlhalo, has taken another stride in her young football career as she has signed a professional contract with Djurgårdens IF Fotboll in Sweden.
At 21, Motlhalo has already played in the United States and in China and has been a key player in the national team set-up for head coach, Desiree Ellis.
Speaking to gsport’s Celine Abrahams briefly after the announcement of her new deal, Motlhalo touched on making her dream of playing in Europe a reality from a young age and revealed her goals for the future.
Linda, firstly, congratulations on your move to Swedish club, Djurgardens. How did this move come about?
Thank you so much. How this move came about? I had a year contract with Beijing, meaning I’d have to look for another team. I got a call from Djurgardens saying that they have seen my profile and they are interested in me. That’s how the move came about.
How long is your contract and when do you leave to join the club?
I have a two-year contract with the team, and I am going to leave once my Visa is sorted.
How much do you know about your new team, e.g. their style of play, the players in the team?
It’s one of the big teams in Sweden and has a men’s team as well. It’s a team that plays more of positional football, which suits my kind of style. Stephine Malherbe is playing for Djurgardens. I used to play with her in the national team, and there’s a Ghanaian as well. Africa is represented.
You are not stranger to playing abroad as you have played in the United States and in China. What is it like for you to have these opportunities to play in the best leagues in terms of women’s football?
I am only 21-years of age, but I have played in three different countries/leagues which is USA, China and now Sweden. It is a privilege, because I got to experience these different levels/leagues, and I guess I had to experience such, so at the end I get to play in a league which will be more suitable for me.
How have you been able to deal with not having family around you all the time, especially when challenges come your way?
Attending boarding school really helped in terms of not having family around. I’d only see my family after three or four months, so I am used to being away from the family. In terms of challenges, I am a very spiritual person, so I give all the challenges to God and prayer keeps me going.
It is amazing to see the number of South African female players getting the opportunity to sign professional contracts, especially making it on the international stage. How is this going to impact the future of Banyana Banyana?
Lots of South Africans are being recognised now, and that started by qualifying for the (FIFA Women’s) World Cup, which played a huge role. The future of South Africa is developing very well. For one, there are players who represented Banyana Banyana at the World Cup aged 17, 18, and with the National League it helps to keep players playing week in and week out.
Where would you like to see yourself in the next five years when it comes to both club and national team football?
My dream came early I guess which is to play in Europe, that’s where I wanted to see myself play. For the national team I would love to see myself as one of the best midfielders South Africa has ever produced and scoring as many goals as possible.
What message would you like to send to those that have been supporting you throughout your career and to the South African sports community?
I’d love to thank them for all the support they have given me and still give me and the advices I’ve been receiving from them don’t go unnoticed. Every time I face challenges, they comfort me.
Photo 1 Caption: Banyana Banyana international, Linda Motlhalo, signs a two-year contract with Djurgårdens IF Fotboll in Sweden. Photo: @linda_motlhalo10 (via Instagram)
Photo 2 Caption: The ever-energetic Linda Motlhalo plans to be one of the best midfielders to come out from South Africa. Photo: @linda_motlhalo10 (via Instagram)
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