Matlou and Nyandeni bow out as legends after stellar Banyana careers

Noko Matlou and Nompumelelo Nyandeni left the Banyana Banyana jersey better than they found it – and that’s why they are bowing out as legends.

Matlou and Nyandeni had their last hurray in the Banyana team in the recent friendlies against Malawi, earning their 174th and 150th international caps respectively.

It was a fitting gesture from the Banyana technical team and Safa hierarchy to bid farewell to two icons, who sowed the seeds the current generation is now reaping.

Matlou rose to prominence when she became the first South African to win the CAF African Women’s Player of the Year award in 2008.

She displayed grit and determination to earn the continent’s highest honour, while still playing amateur football in her home town in Limpopo.

At the time, Banyana were simply a Women’s Africa Cup of Nations team, with limited international exposure.

But such was the zeal within Matlou’s generation that their efforts, honed in the Sasol League (launched in 2009), began to bear fruit.

Matlou and company made history, qualifying for the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics under coaches Joseph Mkhonza and Vera Pauw.

The Rio edition marked a turning point for many of Matlou’s peers, who retired to pursue nine-to-five jobs due to the lack of development in South African women’s football.

Matlou, however, proved she was made of sterner stuff.

She soldiered on, gaining wisdom along the way and holding out hope that the game would eventually be kinder to her.

She transitioned from being a striker to a defender – a tactical switch that paid off. Though no longer the quickest, she retained a striker’s intuition and understanding.

Her tenacity and hunger bore fruit, helping guide Banyana to their first-ever World Cup appearance in 2019 and an historic WAFCON title in 2022.

Matlou’s final major tournament with the national team was the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, where Banyana reached the last 16 for the first time.

That achievement alone showed that age is just a number.

But she had already defied the odds in 2021 when, at the age of 35, she signed her first-ever professional contract.

She joined Spanish side Eibar and, four years later, continues to play abroad for CP Cacereño Femenino, also in Spain.

Her final appearance for Banyana was marked by dignity and honour, attended by Safa president Danny Jordaan, Minister of Sports Gayton McKenzie and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi.

Reflecting on her journey since debuting against Nigeria in 2006, Matlou spoke after Banyana’s 3–0 friendly win over Malawi at UJ Campus in Soweto last Saturday.

“I feel very happy, and going forward, I wish the team all the best of luck, starting with the WAFCON and World Cup qualifiers,” she said.

“I still remember my first game – it was at home against Nigeria. This has made me emotional, because I am closing the chapter of my international career.

“It wasn’t easy. I had highs and lows. But I am really happy with what I’ve contributed during my international career.”

While Matlou exits the international stage with pride, she still longs for the full professionalisation of women’s football in the country, noting that the Hollywoodbets Super League remains semi-professional.

Nyandeni, meanwhile, knows all too well the struggles of semi-professional football, still juggling a a job as a delivery driver while playing for JVW Ladies.

Daunting as it may sound, Nyandeni finds joy in both roles – unsurprisingly so, given how she has thrived under tough circumstances throughout her career.

She was among the first South African players to move abroad, joining Russian side WFC Rossiyanka in 2012.

There, she braved freezing conditions to become the first South African woman to play in the Uefa Women’s Champions League.

That move clearly sharpened her craft. Upon returning home, she won the Top Goal Scorer award with JVW Ladies in the Super League in 2021 and 2022.

Her performances earned recognition, with the SAFJA Women’s Player of the Season accolade three years ago.

“Mbuzi”, as Nyandeni is affectionately known, has fond memories of Banyana’s back-to-back Olympic qualifications. But that’s not what first made her a household name.

She made her mark as a teenager, guiding her home-town club Detroit Ladies to the inaugural Sasol National Championship title in Cape Town – a moment that thrust her onto the big stage.

Banyana’s current head coach, Desiree Ellis, has vivid memories of Nyandeni’s breakthrough.

“I think it’s fantastic,” said Ellis of Nyandeni’s farewell match.

“We need to celebrate players who have given long service to the country and give them a proper send-off.

“We want to say thank you for the efforts she’s put in, and for the player that she was. She’s been part of the successes, the highs and the lows of Banyana.

“It was fantastic to give her such a send-off in front of her home crowd and her people, saying thank you for everything she’s done. I saw Mpumi when she was a 15-year-old in the Sasol League during the first National Champs in Cape Town.

“She was leading Detroit and was absolutely fantastic!”

Matlou and Nyandeni were indeed fantastic – true stalwarts who wore their hearts on their sleeves whenever they were called up for national duty.

Now, as the second and third most capped international players, behind Africa’s record-holder Janine van Wyk (185), their legendary status is well and truly sealed.