Banyana star Kgatlana off to Spain to link up with Atletico

Spain bound Banyana Banyana striker Thembi Kgatlana will be departing to the European country on Friday, with the striker set to meet up with her teammates at Atletico Madrid ladies team playing in the Primera Division Femenina.

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Following a sterling season with Eibar SD also playing in the Spanish top women’s league, Kgatlana joins Madrid, where the level competition for a starting place in the line-up will be higher with Madrid having players like Brazilian national women’s team player Ludmila da Silva and Deyna Castellanos from Venezuela.

However, Kgatlana has showed she has what it takes to be considered as one of the best striker in women’s football with the 25-years old having scored 10 goals for Eibar in 21 appearances in the 2020/21 season with the team finishing on 14th place in a league which consists of 18 teams. 

Atletico are one of the top sides in the Spanish Women’s league with the side having finished last campaign in third position. 

The former 2018 Caf African Women’s Player of the Year now see her career taking her to her fifth team overseas. Her first move abroad was when she was signed by US based outfit Houston Dash, which competes in the national women’s soccer league. In the US, Kgatlana played alongside Banyana teammates Janine van Wyk and Linda Motlhalo. 

In 2019, she made a move to China along with Motlhalo, where the pair played for Beijing BG Phoenix. The striker was then separated with Motlhalo as a move to Portugal came through, where she turned out for Benfica the following year. 

Having only last a season in Portugal, that’s when Eibar called in and now finds herself at their opposition. 

Kgatlana has also been working hard outside football, with her foundation the Thembi Kgatlana Foundation helping out the needy with the ongoing pandemic, and she has also released a book called Strike A Rock, where she speaks about her football career and making it to where she is currently.