One of South Africa’s best assistant referees, Zakhele Siwela, who has been appointed to officiate at this year’s Fifa World Cup, says he is working on his speed to keep up with the fastest players in the world. The World Cup will take place in the US, Mexico and Canada, and it will kick off on June 11.
Siwela has established himself as one of the best linesmen in the past decade in the Premier Soccer League (PSL). He has won numerous awards and accolades for his precise and spot-on officiating in the PSL and in CAF competitions.
Raring to go
The award-winning Siwela, together with referee Abongile Tom, were announced by Fifa as the two Mzansi officials who will be working at the World Cup. The Alexandra-born linesman will be officiating in his third Fifa world cup tournament, and he is excited that there is a high possibility of running the line in more matches as compared to previous tournaments. He was previously assigned to the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the subsequent edition in Qatar in 2022.
Besides being excited and raring to go as the World Cup draws closer, Siwela explains that he is in tip-top condition and that he was just working on his speed. He also talks about a match when he needed to be on par with the speedy France and Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe.
World cup matches ‘too fast’
“Physically, it is not a challenge and I am not worried. I am in good condition because I do a lot of training. I even run to my gym because it is not too far. World cup matches are very fast, in fact, they are too fast. I remember officiating one of France’s games, and Kylian Mbappe was just too quick and I needed to catch up. It is all about working and improving my speed. With age you slow down a little bit, and I am not as fast as I was 10 years ago,” Siwela opened up to Sunday World.
“The World Cup is the biggest event in the world, and I am very honoured to be chosen once again. All the World Cup tournaments are different, the one in Russia was very different to the last in Qatar. Being selected just shows that I have worked very hard and I ma excited,” added the 43-year-old Alexandra-born linesman.
Safa proud of chosen duo
The South African Football Association (Safa) also applauded the two referees in a statement this week: “Having our officials once again called to the highest stage of global football reinforces South Africa’s standing as a premier producer of technical excellence on the continent and beyond. The duo has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their refereeing careers.
“Their path to this nomination has been built on hard physical training and a clear understanding and application of the laws of the Game. This is coupled with an exceptional ability to maintain composure under the immense pressure of not only national, but also international competition,” added the statement.
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- Zakhele Siwela, a top South African assistant referee, is preparing for the FIFA World Cup in the US, Mexico, and Canada, focusing on improving his speed to keep up with fast players like Kylian Mbappe.
- Siwela has been a leading linesman in the Premier Soccer League and CAF competitions for over a decade, earning multiple awards for his accuracy.
- Alongside referee Abongile Tom, Siwela was selected by FIFA to represent South Africa at the World Cup, marking his third tournament after Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
- Siwela emphasizes the physical demands of World Cup matches, noting their exceptional speed, and is committed to maintaining peak fitness despite aging.
- The South African Football Association praised the referees’ dedication, technical skill, and composure under pressure, highlighting their role in enhancing South Africa’s reputation in global football.
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Siwela has established himself as one of the best linesmen in the past decade in the Premier Soccer League (PSL). He has won numerous awards and accolades for his precise and spot-on officiating in the PSL and in CAF competitions.
Besides being excited and raring to go as the World Cup draws closer, Siwela explains that he is in tip-top condition and that he was just working on his speed. He also talks about a match when he needed to be on par with the speedy France and Real Madrid superstar Kylian
“Physically, it is not a challenge and I am not worried. I am in good condition because I do a lot of training. I even run to my gym because it is not too far. World cup matches are very fast, in fact, they are too fast. I remember officiating one of France’s games, and Kylian
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