Former Bafana Bafana defender, Tlou Molekwane has achieved what many soccer players can only dream of.
The 30-year-old is one of few players in the province who have represented the country at u.17, u.20, u.23 and senior level. He has won the MTN 8 title and Telkom Knockout title with South African football giants Kaizer Chiefs Football Club in 2010 and 2012 football seasons.
He was part of the Kaizer Chiefs squad that defeated the English Premier League champions Manchester City Football Club to win the Vodacom Challenge in 2009.
He says his first callup to Bafana Bafana squad by Stuart Baxter in 2004 was the pinnacle of his career. “I was playing for South African u.17 national team at that time and we were in camp. I remember getting a call from the Bafana Bafana team manager who told me to report to a camp in Sandton. I could not believe it, a young boy from Limpopo in the Bafana Bafana camp. I remember I even cried because it is the dream of every soccer player in the world to represent his country and achieving that at early age was scary. I remember that upon my arrival at the camp I saw players I used to watch on television while was growing up. There was OJ Mabizela who, according me, is one of the best defenders the country has ever produced. Katlego Mphela who was playing in France at the time was my roommate and I learnt a lot from him.”
Molekwane said playing for Kaizer Chiefs and winning trophies with them was something to behold. “Growing up all I dreamt off was to play for any professional soccer team in the country. It was a blessing to play for Chiefs because I would never miss their matches on television while I was growing up. I played in lot of soccer derbies against Orlando Pirates and I loved the atmosphere the fans, the noise in that stadium was unbelievable,” remarked Molekwane.
He described the match against Manchester City Football Club as one of the best he ever played in his career. “I remember I came off the bench and the coach asked me if I could mark Brazilian legend Robson de Souza, commonly known as Robinho and I said yes. I was scared because it was my first match against the Brazilian opponent and I think at that time he was playing for Real Madrid. He is skilful and, but as the match progressed I grew in confidence and did well,” Molekwane said.
He also played with likes of Zimbabwean legendary striker, Benjamin Mwaruwari and two South African legends Aaron Mokoena (former Bafana Bafana captain) and Standton Fredericks at Bidvest Wits Football Club. “It was a dream come true to share the field them. They all played in Europe and I learnt a lot from them.”
The former Ria Stars Football Club ball boy says football gave him a better life. “I am orphan, both my parents passed away while I was very young. I lived with my grandmother and four siblings in a two room house. When I signed my first contract at Chiefs the first thing I did was build two big houses in one yard. One was for my grandmother and the other for my siblings. I also married the mother of my child in 2014. Football gave me zest for life. It changed my life completely and I was able to support my family. I travelled the world with the national team and I met incredible people and I am what I am today because of football.”
He urged aspiring soccer players trying to break in the professional set-up to work hard and exercise patience. “Most of the aspiring soccer players want short cuts, they are no longer patient, they give up easily. In our era we used to attend all the soccer trials in the country but the current generation is picky and they don’t listen. My message to them is that it is not easy to move from street football to a professional set up. They are lot of sacrifices, we gave up lot of things. I had to change my lifestyle and leave behind things that don’t matter like partying and focus on my football career. Our soccer players want to do both, they want a nice life, they want to party and play football at the same time and those things don’t go together.”
Molekwane retired from football in June and has joined Limpopo First Touch Academy as an assistant coach.
He has also played for Polokwane City Football Club and Bloemfontein Celtic Football Club.
Story & photo: Herbert Rachuene
>>herbert.observer@gmail.com
