Johannesburg – Noko Matlou was emotional after her SD Eibar teammates and technical staff gave her a heart-warming reaction when she signed a new contract with the club.
Matlou is a legend of African football, having been one of the few players that have won the coveted The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women’s Player of the Year award. She's also the CAF Women's Afcon winner with Banyana Banyana.
However, it was only two years ago – at the age of 35 – that she realised her dream of playing professional football and moving abroad, joining Spanish second tier club Eibar.
And having put pen to paper on a one-year deal, the former striker-turned-defender became such an influential figure at the club that she had her contract renewed for another year.
Last season, the 37-year-old played a crucial role in ensuring that the club gained promotion to the top-flight. She missed only two of the 30 games in the league because of injury.
Matlou’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed. The club offered her a contract extension for another year – a deal she grabbed with both hands.
“Eibar have renewed the contracts of women’s team players Noelia Garcia, Jujaba Cardozo, Noko Matlou and Kenni Thompson to keep them in place until June 2024.
“The four players, who were part of the effort to secure promotion to the Primera Division, were set to run out of contract on June 30 of this year. But they have now extended their deals for another year,” the club said.
“Goalkeeper Noelia, defenders Noko and Jujuba and midfielder Kenni have been important parts of Yerai Martín’s team.”
Taking to Twitter on Wednesday after news broke that she would be an Eibar player for at least another year, Matlou said: “To see Eibar players and managers so excited after extending my contract just melted my heart. I don’t know what to say, but I’m looking forward to the 2023/2024 season.”
To see Eibar players and managers so excited after extending my contract just melt my ♥️ heart and don’t know what to say but I’m looking forward for 2023/2024 season 🦶🦶🦶🦶⚽️
— Noko Matlou (@nokomatlou17) May 30, 2023
Meanwhile, Matlou’s Banyana Banyana teammate Linda Motlhalo also ended the season on a high note with Glasgow City in Scotland, winning the league title in her first season at the club.
So with the likes of Matlou and Motlhalo soaring abroad ahead of the World Cup, which begins in 50 days, coach Desiree Ellis will have a nice selection headache when she announces her final squad in the next few weeks.
@MihlaliBaleka
IOL Sport