Veteran Jermaine Seoposenwe of Banyana Banyana has announced that she will retire from international football after the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco.
The tournament takes place in Morocco in July.
The 31-year-old striker, a cornerstone of the woman’s national team for over a decade, cited her well-being as the reason behind this difficult decision, marking the end of an illustrious career that inspired a generation.
Seoposenwe, currently shining for Rayadas Monterrey Femenil in Mexico, has been a pivotal figure in Banyana’s rise to prominence.
With over 100 caps, she played a starring role in South Africa’s historic 2022 Wafcon triumph, scoring crucial goals against Nigeria and Tunisia to secure the continental title.
Her contributions continued into two Fifa Women’s World Cups, where her skill and perseverance enabled Banyana to make history in 2023 by making it to the knockout stage.
Fans and teammates stunned
Reflecting on her journey, Seoposenwe shared a poignant message on social media.
“Let me start by saying thank you, South Africa, for the opportunity to represent you,” Seoposenwe said.
“It was truly a privilege and an honour to walk onto that field and represent the beautiful people of this country with passion and pride.
“I’ve made the difficult decision to retire from the senior national women’s football team, better known as Banyana Banyana, after the upcoming Women’s African Cup of Nations, which will be held in Morocco from the 5th to the 26th of July.”
Her announcement, made symbolically on June 16, South Africa’s Youth Day, stunned fans and teammates alike, especially with Wafcon just weeks away.
In addition to facing a formidable Group C that includes Ghana, Mali, and Tanzania, the reigning champions will be missing another important player, Thembi Kgatlana, who withdrew for personal reasons.
Seoposenwe’s retirement adds extra weight to her final campaign, as the team aims to give her a fitting send-off by defending their title.
Former Banyana captain Janine van Wyk believes the news could galvanise the squad.
“Knowing this is Jermaine’s last dance at Wafcon could push the squad to give that extra 10% to make sure she signs off on a high by defending the title,” she told SABC Sport.
Legacy of perseverance
Seoposenwe’s career was not without challenges.
She faced visa issues that sidelined her for two years while playing in Portugal and led a boycott before the 2023 World Cup to demand fair treatment from the South African Football Association.
Yet, her resilience shone through, culminating in the 2022 Wafcon victory that she dedicated to South Africans’ enduring hardships.
“This was our dream; we wanted to win it for South Africa,” she said after the triumph.
As she prepares for her final international outing, Seoposenwe leaves a legacy of perseverance and excellence.
She said that, like her predecessors did for her, she wanted to pass the torch on to young artists like Bonolo Mokoma.
Even when she no longer wears the Banyana jersey, her transformation from a young girl with a dream to a national icon will serve as an inspiration.
As Seoposenwe takes the pitch for the final time, South Africa will be closely watching in the hopes that she will lift the Wafcon trophy again in a farewell worthy of a true football legend.
