eNhlazatshe soccer star Ntando Nkosi dreams of the World Cup glory

The sky’s the limit for 16-year-old soccer player Ntandoyenkosi Nkosi from eNhlazatshe. He is one of the promising u/17 players at the Kaizer Chiefs Development Academy.

He plays as reserve in the central defensive midfield position. Ntandoyenkosi was part of the South African u/17 team in Malawi, Amajimbos, that won the Cosafa Championship and qualified for the Afcon 2021 in Morocco. His love for soccer started at the age of six when he used to play with bigger boys on his street.

Read: Young soccer star to play in Morocco

“As years go by, my love for the game grew. I played for the soccer team at Diepgezet Primary School in Nhlazatshe and St Marks High School in Mbombela. My greatest achievement so far was when I got the opportunity to join the Kaizer Chiefs development team in 2019.

“That’s was when I realised that hard work can take your talent far, regardless of where you come from,” he said. “Aspiring football players from grassroot levels should know that hard work pays. Be disciplined, committed. Love the game and the game will love you back. They should also give the best at every training session and game, because you never know who may be watching. Things will definitely work out.”

Also read: New soccer tourney kicks-off in Nkomazi

Talking about challenges he faced as a young football player, Ntandoyenkosi said he had to work extra hard to find balance between his schoolwork and his performance on the field. “I had to be away from my family at an early stage because of my love for soccer, and I kept my eyes on the prize. I still have to make my parents proud by passing my exams,” said the 2021 matric learner of Emshukantambo Secondary School. Ntandoyenkosi’s dream is to play in the World Cup. He is inspired by 28-year-old Brazilian footballer, Carlos Henrique Casimiro, a defensive midfielder for Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team.