COPA Coca-Cola: Millions of players participate in football programme.

COPA Coca-Cola has revealed that the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana striker Hareaipha ‘Simba’ Marumo will be the 2016 ambassador for the grassroots programme.

The search is on for the development junior players to show their skills to be part of this programme, which also runs in various other countries in the world.

Marumo was one of the most lethal strikers in the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) and will lead the panel to select junior players.

Marumo said, “COPA Coca-Cola is one of the shining lights of football development, something which is close to my heart. I am thus immensely excited to be involved in the already successful Which Part Will You Play project and cannot wait to use this as a platform to help tomorrow’s football stars thrive both on and off the pitch.”

He was also a contracted former Inter Milan academy player who has a proven track record in the development of young footballers.

In addition to the 11 players making their way to the Which Part Will You Play all-stars team, a COPA Coca-Cola judging panel, headed by Simba, will lead the judging panel to select one player per province who gives back to the community.

Fetsi Mbele, senior communications manager of brand experience at Coca-Cola South Africa said, “We are immensely excited to have Simba on board for this groundbreaking evolution to COPA Coca-Cola’s Which Part Will You Play initiative. It is important to not only recognise the stars of the playing field, but to also reward the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to enable COPA Coca-Cola players to be their best both on and off the pitch. Simba remains a mentor in the game to many, so he is a natural choice to help us find similar mentors around the country.”

The 2016 COPA Coca-Cola tournament has reached its provincial finals phase where teams will battle it out for the chance to represent their province at the national finals taking place from September 23 to 25.