Revealing she has a nine to five job, Banyana Banyana goalkeeper Kaylin Swart expects their progression to the knockout stages of the World Cup to change their lives for the better as women’s football isn’t professional in SA.
Each Banyana player will now be R1.23m richer after Fifa confirmed before the tournament started that reaching the last 16 guarantees each player R1m, while Safa, thanks to the contributions by the Motsepe Foundation and Ithuba National Lottery, pledged R230,000 to every player.
“Obviously this is life-changing for us. These numbers [the incentives they’ll be getting] is something we only dreamt of...obviously women’s football in SA isn’t professionalised, we don’t get paid really. So, this is something for us to look forward to. We’ve made history. Who would have thought [that] a small country as SA, which is still growing in football, would do this? We now have to enjoy it,” Swart told reporters after the game in Wellington yesterday.
“I work a full-time job, I work 9-5 every day and I have to train at night from 7pm to 9pm. It’s tough being a footballer in SA but we do what we can for the love of the game. Hopefully, one day we’ll be professionalised. Obviously, a lot of young girls can now look at us and see us as role models. If we were before we are now probably more [of role models].”
Having been based in New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, Banyana will now move to Australia to face the Netherlands at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium on Sunday (4am SA time). The Netherlands topped their Group E with seven points after beating both Portugal and Vietnam while they drew with the USA.
Full-time worker Swart welcomes financial windfall for SA stars
Keeper thrilled at life-changing incentives that come with last 16 place
Image: Lars Baron
Revealing she has a nine to five job, Banyana Banyana goalkeeper Kaylin Swart expects their progression to the knockout stages of the World Cup to change their lives for the better as women’s football isn’t professional in SA.
Each Banyana player will now be R1.23m richer after Fifa confirmed before the tournament started that reaching the last 16 guarantees each player R1m, while Safa, thanks to the contributions by the Motsepe Foundation and Ithuba National Lottery, pledged R230,000 to every player.
“Obviously this is life-changing for us. These numbers [the incentives they’ll be getting] is something we only dreamt of...obviously women’s football in SA isn’t professionalised, we don’t get paid really. So, this is something for us to look forward to. We’ve made history. Who would have thought [that] a small country as SA, which is still growing in football, would do this? We now have to enjoy it,” Swart told reporters after the game in Wellington yesterday.
“I work a full-time job, I work 9-5 every day and I have to train at night from 7pm to 9pm. It’s tough being a footballer in SA but we do what we can for the love of the game. Hopefully, one day we’ll be professionalised. Obviously, a lot of young girls can now look at us and see us as role models. If we were before we are now probably more [of role models].”
Having been based in New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, Banyana will now move to Australia to face the Netherlands at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium on Sunday (4am SA time). The Netherlands topped their Group E with seven points after beating both Portugal and Vietnam while they drew with the USA.
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