Banyana Banyana stalwart Hildah Magaia said she was quite emotional after stepping up for the national team and her family when they needed her most.
Banyana sealed their passage to the Fifa Women’s World Cup last-16 for the first time in history at the Wellington Regional Stadium yesterday after beating Italy 3-2 to finish second in Group G behind Sweden.
And while it was Banyana’s first ever win in the World Cup in two editions, Magaia scored her second goal in her debut tournament and earned her first Player of the Match award, having also laid on the pass for Thembi Kgatlana to grab the match-winning strike in the 92nd minute.
It was not the first time that the 28-year-old chipped in with a vital goal for the national team, having scored in their opening match of the World Cup and in the 2-1 win over Morocco in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final.
By virtue of being the team’s go-to-scorer, Magaia had become the ‘breadwinner’ for Banyana and their fans.
“It’s an emotional day for us, especially for me since this is my first World Cup. I scored in my first game and in our last game. So, all glory to God,” Magaia said.
“The players and the coach told me that they needed bread, so as the breadwinner I had to provide bread for them. Without the breadwinner, there’s no bread – and that’s why I kept on going ...
Captain fantastic at the death for @Banyana_Banyana! 💪🇿🇦#BeautifulMoments with @Xero pic.twitter.com/X2TtfXInqk
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 2, 2023
“I listened to my teammates upfront, especially Thembi and Jermaine (Seoposenwe) because they are the closest ones to me – they kept on pushing me.”
It wasn’t only Banyana that benefited from Magaia’s breadwinner duties, but her family as well – she wants to make sure her mother doesn’t struggle now that she’s guaranteed more than R1-million in fees and bonuses.
After qualifying for the knockout stage, each Banyana player from the 23-member squad is set to pocket $60 000 (R1.1m) from the Fifa grant.
“I’ll be able to help my family. I’ll be able to do everything for my mother because I am the breadwinner (at home as well),” Magaia said.
And while she is honoured to be the breadwinner of both Banyana and her family, not in her wildest dreams did she think that she’d play in the World Cup one day – let alone score in it.
But Magaia has matured as a player – having played in Sweden and South Korea – and as an individual.
“It has never struck me (that I would score in the World Cup), let alone playing in it. I had never imagined myself playing in the World Cup,” Magaia said.
“It’s an emotional one for me, and I can really say ‘yes, I have matured as a player and individual on and on and off the field’. And that’s because of the hard work that I put in at training and everything I do.”
Magaia and Co cannot afford to rest on their laurels now that they’ve reached the World Cup last-16 for the first time. Instead, they must target a quarter-final berth and imitate the class of Nigeria in 1991.
But that’s easier said than done. In their bid to reach the last eight of the event, they’ll have to beat the 2017 world champions Netherlands at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Sunday (kick-off 4am).
And having seen teamwork carry them through adversity, both on and off the pitch, Magaia says they’ll continue to work together and try to break more barriers.
“We are just going to stick to what helps us as a team, which is working as a collective, so that we can achieve what it is that we want to, and we’ll just keep going,” she said.
* Mihlali Baleka is in New Zealand reporting on Banyana Banyana’s World Cup campaign courtesy of Sasol.