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Banyana Banyana captain Amogelang Motau says she’s honoured to be recognised by the South African Football Journalists Association as one of the best players of 2024.
Motau is nominated in the Safja Awards player of the season category, alongside Ayesha Moosa, Boitumelo Rabale and Lebo Ramalepe of Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies and former UWC teammate Siphesihle Dlamini.
Speaking to SABC Sport, Motau says she is grateful for a good start into the new season and hopes the momentum continues throughout.
"It is honestly an honour for me to be nominated and recognised by SAFJA as one of the nominees. I'll be honest, I didn't see it coming but that might be because I'm still going through a transition phase where I just got out of South Africa and trying to settle into Mexico and find my feet here,” Motau said.
“So, I haven't been focused on the external staff but I think I've had a good start to this year and I'm just hoping to keep that momentum going and yeah, it's an honour to be nominated."
Motau played a key role to help UWC claim second place finish last season behind six-time champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
She reflects on her journey with the Cape Town outfit.
"Again, we were second and Sundowns had won the Champions League so we knew that we had an opportunity to go to COSAFA, so that was something that we prepared for and hoped to win in so that we can go to CAF and that's what happened for usm” she added.
“That's just the testament of how much we had worked at UWC, not just in that year alone. So, I feel like the year 2024 with UWC having so many international transfers, it was just testament to the work that coach Thina [Thinasonke Mbuli] and the technical team had put into us as players for the past three seasons.
“So, it was a really good season and going to CAF really gave us the platform to really showcase our talent and for me that's the platform obviously with Banyana Banyana that gave me the opportunity to be able to be where I am today.
“So, it was a tough season to begin with but to be able to win COSAFA to go CAF really changed a lot of lives for UWC players."
