Amanda Dlamini

Amanda Dlamini
Amanda Dlamini playing for South Africa at the 2016 Olympics
Personal information
Full name Amanda Sinegugu Dlamini
Date of birth (1988-07-22) 22 July 1988 (age 36)
Place of birth Harding, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa[1]
Height 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Young Callies
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Durban Ladies
2013 University of Johannesburg
-2019 JVW
International career
2007–2018 South Africa 105 (24)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 September 2016

Amanda Sinegugu Dlamini (born 22 July 1988) is a former South African soccer player who is currently a soccer analyst and football administrator. She represented the South Africa women's national team at the 2012 (as the captain) and 2016 Summer Olympics.

Dlamini won her maiden national title with JVW in 2019.[3] In 2024 she became the first woman to commentate a match at the Africa Cup of Nations.[4]

Early career

Dlamini was born in Harding in KwaZulu Natal. She started playing soccer in 1999 for a boys' team, Young Callies.[5]

Club career

At a club level, Dlamini has played for Durban Ladies and the UJ Ladies. She was part of the UJ Ladies team that won the inaugural Varsity Women's Football Cup in 2013.[6]

Dlamini played for JVW FC and was part of the team that won the 2019 Sasol League Championship.[7]

International career

She made her debut for the senior national team in 2007 in a 5–0 loss to Nigeria in an Olympic qualifier. She scored her first international goal against Netherlands.[5] She was the top goalscorer of the 2008 Sasol Women's League. She was part of the squads that won bronze and silver medals at the 2010 African Women's Championship and 2012 African Women's Championship; at the 2010 championships, she was named Most Valuable Player. She was captain of the national team between 2011 and 2013.[7]

She became the fifth female football player to win 100 caps for South Africa following a friendly match against the United States in July 2016, following Janine van Wyk, Nompumelelo Nyandeni, Portia Modise and Noko Matlou. Prior to the game, she said "It has always been a dream of mine to play for the national team, I have never wanted to do anything else but play football. I am what I am today because of the game. I have given so much to the game and to see myself so close to the 100 caps makes me very emotional". In the same match, American goalkeeper Hope Solo won her 100th cap for the United States.[8]

She retired from international football in January 2018.[9]

Personal life

In 2012, she founded the Amanda Dlamini Girls Foundation aiming to provide basic help to girls in rural areas.[10]

Outside Football

Media

She is currently a soccer analyst at South African sports broadcaster Supersport.[11] In 2024 she became the first woman to commentate a match at the Africa Cup of Nations.[12] Her first match being the Morocco vs Tanzania match at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.[4]

Administration

In July 2021, she was appointed as the Senior Commercial and Marketing Manager of the South African Football Association (SAFA)[13]

Honours

UJ Ladies F.C.

Varsity Women's Football Cup: 2013

JVW

SAFA Women's League: 2019

References

  1. ^ "Amanda Dlamini". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  2. ^ "Dlamini, Amanda". Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 26 November 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  3. ^ Ndumela, Mntungwa (8 December 2019). "JVW Crowned 2019 Sasol League National Champions". Sasol In Sport. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  4. ^ a b "'Emotional' Former Banyana Banyana captain, Amanda Dlamini makes history at TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations". ‘Emotional’ Former Banyana Banyana captain, Amanda Dlamini makes history at TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  5. ^ a b Moreotsene, Linda (7 October 2011). "Amanda inspires Banyana". The New Age. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  6. ^ "UJ women score Varsity Football crown". YourSport. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Sasol Banyana Banyana Player Profiles". South African Football Association. 17 May 2014. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  8. ^ "Amanda Dlamini closes in on a century of appearances". South African Football Association. 8 July 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Banyana Banyana news: Amanda Dlamini quits international football | Goal.com South Africa". www.goal.com. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Amanda Dlamini wants to inspire youth through football". Sasol in Sport. 11 June 2013. Archived from the original on 18 November 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  11. ^ Mokoena, Kgomotso (2 November 2022). "Supersport rope in world superstars for World Cup coverage". Sunday World. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Amanda Dlamini: Former South African player on ground-breaking Afcon commentary role in Ivory Coast". BBC Sport. 15 February 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Amanda Dlamini: Ex-Banyana Banyana captain appointed SAFA Senior Manager". Kick Off. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.