Linda Mntambo, the captain of Sekhukhune United, is counting heavily on his physical well-being to avoid injuries this season as he looks to lead the Limpopo team to their first-ever trophy.
As they gear up to face Cape Town City in their quarterfinal match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, Mntambo and Sekhukhune will surely set their sights on the MTN8 trophy.
The game will get underway at 3pm.
Figo, as Mntambo is affectionately known, missed nearly half of the 2023/24 season due to a protracted injury.
After making his comeback, he was in scintillating form, banging in five goals and dishing out two assists. As a result, he was voted as the February/March DStv Premiership Player of the Month.
Staying injury-free is a top priority
Ahead of their clash against City, Mntambo said one of his top priorities is to remain injury-free and fit the entire season.
“Firstly, the most important thing for me this season is to stay healthy and injury-free,” Mntambo told Sunday World.
“Secondly, I need to make sure that I take care of my recovery — you know, massage, training, diet, rest, and all those things. Because, as you know, Figo is no longer 21 years old; I am in my 30s.
“So, it means I need to take care of my body to make sure that I am consistent and hopefully play from the first game until the last game of the season to contribute to the team’s success.”
The pain of watching from the sidelines
Mntambo also talked about how hard it is to watch from the sidelines and said he prays to God to keep him healthy all season long so he can help lead Babina Noko to their very first trophy.
“Trust me, it’s not nice being on the sidelines and nursing an injury. So, I say, may God help me to stay more on the field,” he said.
“I want to help the team win trophies, and as the captain of the club, lifting its first trophy would mean a lot to me.
“So, this is an opportunity to do that with the MTN8, and I think every team that is in it wants to win it.
“It would be a dream for Linda Mntambo this season to lift a trophy back to the chairman [Simon Malatji], the people of Sekhukhune, and everybody that supports the club.”
