Local boy gets U/17 National team call up

SEBOKENG.- Despite the lack of professional football – Sedibeng continues to produce international players – with Njabulo Hlongwane been the latest local youngster to have been invited for SA Men’s U/17 National Team camp which started on Wednesday.
The camp is in preparation for the 2019 COSFA Tournament scheduled to place in Malawi from 11 – 20 October. This 14 years old midfield-cum-striker from Nale Football Academy was the youngest player during the Regional Promotional Play Offs held at Isak Steyl Stadium recently.
The national team’s selectors saw Hlongwane when Nale Academy participated at the Youth Elite Tournament held in Cosmo City in June this years.
This General Smuts School learner was an instrumental when the academy crowned the tournament champions and he received a Top Goal Scorer Award of the tournament.
As this is not enough, Hlongwane also scooped top goal scorer award for the NWU Vaal Development League for the u/15. Speaking to Sedibeng Ster Sport, Hlongwane said he didn’t anticipate this taking into consideration that his football career just started. This shy talented youngster said it is always his dream to play for national team but he never thought it would come very soon.
“To be honest, I didn’t expect this but I remember my coaches told me that junior national team coaches have been monitoring my progress.
This call up has serve as a motivation to me to work very hard. For me it doesn’t matter if I would make it to the final team or not but for the mare fact that I haven invited to camp means a lot to me. I want to thank all the coaches who contributed to my development from the young age,”
said Hlongwane. To make it interesting, Hlongwane recently was invited to Mamelodi Sundowns assessment and also trained with Kaizer Chiefs u/15.