CAF Women’s 2018 Player of the Year and Banyana Banyana striker Thembi Kgatlana is putting South Africa on the world map yet again.
The tearaway striker has signed for Spanish Premier Division side SD Eibar from Benfica FC in Portugal.
Kgatlana (24), who has had stints in USA and China in her glittering career, will stay at SD Eibar for the remainder of the season.
Kgatlana helped Banyana Banyana qualify for their first ever FIFA World Cup in France last year following her stellar performance at the AWCON tournament in Ghana in 2018 where Banyana Banyana lost on penalties to Nigeria’s Super Falcons in the final.
She also scored Banyana Banyana’s only goal in the 2019 FIFA World Cup in France.
Kgatlana is a product of SAFA High-Performance Centre and featured prominently for USA Houston Dash before moving to China’s Beijing BG Phoenix.
Kgatlana becomes the sixth player to secure a lucrative deal overseas.
The other players are Nothando Vilakazi (EDF Logrono in Spain), Janine Van Wyk (Glasgow City FC in Scotland), Kelso Peskin (Stade Brestois 29 Feminine in France), Jermaine Seoposenwe (SC Braga in Portugal) and Amanda Mthandi (CDB Badajoz Feminino in Spain).
The recent move by Banyana Banyana players overseas has been praised by coach Desiree Ellis who admitted that this will help reinforce her squad in the coming international matches.
