This week, CNN’s ‘African Voices’ steps into the shoes of three elite African sports stars exploring how a female boxer in Zambia; a young sprinter who’s won gold at the 2014 Youth Olympics and a top footballer in South Africa stay on top of their game.
Football is the number one sport in South Africa and has a huge following. Anticipation for the big games causes debates, divides families and creates huge excitement. South Africa loves football!
Siphiwe Tshabalala is one of the country’s number one players, who reveals how he started out to ‘African Voices’: “We started playing on the streets first, before we went to a normal soccer field and it was fun … my team was Kaizer Chiefs, and my favourite player was Doctor Khumalo.”
From humble beginnings to ‘Forever Fearless,’ Tshabalala is living up to the slogan of his club Kaizer Chiefs. Tshabalala takes CNN’s ‘African Voices’ to where it all began, a field in his hometown of Soweto.
Tshabalala tells the programme: “This is the field where I started playing football. There was no grass here.”
He always envisioned playing for his favourite childhood team, but not for the national team, Bafana Bafana, where he became an international sensation. Scoring the opening goal at the 2010 South African World Cup was a great achievement for Tshabalala.
Tshabalala continues: “The World Cup was special I think for all Africans, first World Cup in Africa… out of all the players, all the big players, I was the only to score that goal.”
‘Shabba’ has become an icon in the football arena for scoring the opening goal at the South African World Cup, and now, five years on he’s still celebrating but not with an inflated head.
“Celebrity is just a status, for me it doesn’t make me a better person … the passion, the competitiveness of the game, the flair, and the fans, that’s what I love about football.”
The football star is aiming for other goals too: “I look up to people that want to grow in life, that want to make a difference and that want to help other people.
“The impact that I want to make in Africa is leaving a strong legacy, continue being a role model, not only in South Africa but in Africa as a continent.”
Tshabalala runs a foundation that provides South African youths with opportunities on and off the field.
“You know, playing football with the kids it’s something special, especially to them … I was once there age and I know how it feels to play with your role model.”
Tshabalala shares his best piece of advice: “Work hard and do not depend on your talent. Talent is not enough but hard work puts you there.”
‘African Voices’ featuring Siphiwe Tshabalala airs Friday, 26 June at 10:30 and at the following times on CNN International:
Saturday 27 June at 04:30 SAST and 16:30 SAST
Sunday 28 June at 12:30 SAST and 19:30 SAST
Monday 29 June at 11:30 SAST
Tuesday 30 June at 05:30 SAST
Tune in to CNN on DStv channel 401.
www.cnn.com/africanvoices
Twitter: @CNNAfrica
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cnnafricanvoices
