Who are the young stars that could carry Banyana Banyana over the next decade? Asks Nick Said.

NOXOLO CESANE
Age: 24
Club: Eastern Flames (Saudi Arabia)
Position: Midfielder

Born in Gugulethu, Cape Town, Cesane has been around the Banyana Banyana squad for some time, having made her debut as a teenager in 2019. She has since played at Stade Reims in France, UANL Tigres in Mexico and most recently signed for the Eastern Flames in Saudi Arabia. She is industrious and hard-working, and likely the long-term successor to captain Refiloe Jane in the midfield. Despite the fact she is only 24, she is already approaching 50 caps, so she has plenty of experience under her belt. She has a twin sister, Sinoxolo, who is also a Banyana international and plays for Mazatlán in Mexico.

ISABELLA LUDWIG
Age: 22
Club: University of Pretoria
Position: Midfielder

Ludwig was the star of the show for Banyana Banyana at the 2024 COSAFA Women’s Championship, showing her quality as a creative midfielder. It is early days for her in the national team and there are perhaps some rough edges to hone, but she has plenty of potential and is still young in the game. She had been a hockey player as a youngster but when she joined a school that did not offer the sport, she switched to football and has not looked back.

LONATHEMBA MHLONGO
Age: 22
Club: University of the Western Cape
Position: Defender

Coach Desiree Ellis has made it clear that Mhlongo is a part of her future plans with the 2027 Women’s World Cup in mind, and the defender has already had a taste of representing her country on the global stage. She was part of the South Africa squad that competed at the under-17 Women’s World Cup in 2018 when she was just 15, and has been part of the senior national team set-up since 2022. She also played for the University of the Western Cape at the 2024 Women’s Champions League finals in Morocco.

SHAKIRA O’MALLEY
Age: 22
Club: Western Michigan
University (United States)
Position: Defender

O’Malley was raised in Cape Town but has spent the last few years in the United States college system, initially at the University of Northwestern Ohio before switching to Western Michigan University in 2024. She was a junior international in the under-17 and under-20 national teams, but recently got her first senior call-up against Jamaica. She also came through the excellent Tuks High Performance Centre that has created a number of Banyana stars in the past. Physically strong, she could be a key part of the backline for years to come.

THUBELIHLE SHAMASE
Age: 23
Club: FC Gintra (Lithuania)
Position: Midfielder

Shamase was a nominee for the CAF Women’s Young Player of the Year award in 2023 such was the impact she made at international level. At the time she was with the University of Johannesburg and had already been a Banyana Banyana player for a year, having featured for the under-17s and under-20s in the past. She joined Lithuanian side FC Gintra in 2024, which allowed her to play in the Women’s Champions League. She is a midfielder with an eye for a goal, having netted five times in the 2023 COSAFA Women’s Championship and found the back of the net regularly for Gintra. She also has a twin sister, Sphumelele, that plays at Gintra and has been a Banyana international.