Sphephelo Sithole with KZN Academy international coordinator Jorge Prazeres in Portugal.
The 18-year-old sensation joins his former KZN Academy teammate, Thabo Cele, in Europe, who joined Portuguese giants Benfica from the academy earlier this year.
Both players were identified at the Durban U19 tournament that involved teams such as Arsenal, Benfica, Sporting Lisbon and Brazil’s Santos.
The 18-year-old midfielder was part of Amajimbos (SA Under-17) squad that represented the nation at the U17 Fifa World Cup in Chile two years ago.
South African Football Association technical director Neil Tovey believes Sithole’s move to Portugal will benefit SA football in the future.
“This is really great news for South African football. Such achievements are not to be taken lightly, as this will in the near future benefit South African football. We wish Sphephelo the best of luck in Portugal, and hope to see more young players secure contracts in Europe,” Tovey told the Safa website.
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