Sibusiso ‘Sbuda’ Nkosi grew up next to the soccer field. The 21-year-old currently plays soccer for Marumo Gallants Football Club in Limpopo. Nkosi spoke to MatieMedia’s Liam Abercrombie about his love for soccer, and how he managed to sign his first professional contract with a DStv Premiership club.
“I always remind myself that I’ve done things that people have never expected me to do, such as signing my first professional contract. I always place a focus on my victories in life so that I can overcome the losses that I experience,” stated Sibusiso Nkosi, soccer player for Marumo Gallants FC. PHOTO: Supplied/Sibusiso Nkosi
As a young boy, Sibusiso ‘Sbuda’ Nkosi would watch his dad and uncle play soccer for a team called Ka-Nkosi Masters, in Mabopane every Sunday. The team was owned by both his dad and uncle and has been in the Nkosi family for a number of years, passed down between generations. Watching soccer on Sunday’s was a tradition for his family. That’s where his love for the sport started.
In his younger years, he would travel to the Giant Stadium in Mabopane to watch some of South Africa’s best players at the time. “For me, this created a culture of a life that revolves around soccer, which I feel that South Africa as a country doesn’t have anymore,” said Nkosi.
When he was 7 years old, his family moved to Pretoria, where he attended Rietondale Primary School.
“In 2007, I was playing soccer with some of my friends at a mini-cricket match for my school, when one of my parents’ friends suggested that I attend trials to see if I can get into the Tuks Junior soccer programme,” said Nkosi.
Nkosi got his chance to play for Tuks in 2008.
He played soccer for fun previously, but after joining Tuks, he saw the potential of fulfilling a career in soccer. This was the first soccer club he experienced. The club was so well-run that many players in the first team would make moves to bigger clubs.
“At the time, Andile Jali, who was a first team player for the University of Pretoria Football Club, managed to get a move to Orlando Pirates, and then got an opportunity to play soccer for a team in Belgium,” said Nkosi.
“When I was 11 years old, I got the opportunity to join the Mamelodi Sundowns FC youth team, where I did well for 2 years,” stated Nkosi. He then returned to Tuks where he fought hard to succeed.
A 12-year-old Sibusiso Nkosi, during his 2 years with Mamelodi Sundowns FC. PHOTO: Supplied/Sibusiso Nkosi
While he didn’t receive a contract, Nkosi felt he learnt a lot from his time there. He left Tuks last year to join his current club, Marumo Gallants FC.
High school life
At 14, Nkosi started high school at HF Verwoerd, today known as Rietondale High School. A year later, he moved to Tuks High School where he was exposed to people who were at the top of their game in their respective age groups.
“You get exposed to what it is to be a high-calibre athlete at a very early age,” said Nkosi. “And this makes you realise what is expected of you, because you’re no longer competing with just soccer players. It’s people from different sports all competing to be the best at Tuks High School.”
During his time at Tuks High, he felt that soccer as a sport didn’t always get as much recognition as some other sports. Nkosi said he and his teammates felt like they always had to work harder.
A young Sibusiso Nkosi, chasing his dream at the age of 8. PHOTO: Supplied/Sibusiso Nkosi
“What started driving me is the fact that I was around so many people who had the capability of being at the top at such a young age – which made me realise that I can reach my goals as long as I keep motivated,” said Nkosi
“It was challenging because if you’re not strong mentally, you could experience imposter syndrome,” Nkosi added. He overcame this by sticking to the goals that he had set for himself, and through the help of Tuks High that “gave me the mentality of always fighting and never giving up until I reach my dream”.
Going Pro
“I had the dream of being a professional soccer player at a really young age,” said Nkosi. He recalls being a mascot for the University of Pretoria Football Club for their match against Kaizer Chiefs FC in the 2009 Nedbank Cup. This exposed him to how professional players act in such big moments. He also had the opportunity to see some of the best soccer players from around the world come to South Africa to compete in the 2009 Confederations Cup.
“In 2010, when the World Cup was hosted by South Africa, I had the opportunity of seeing Argentina train at Tuks’ facilities and had the opportunity to see the likes of [Lionel] Messi, [Diego] Maradona, [Ángel] Di María.
Sibusiso Nkosi at a training session, working on his shooting technique. PHOTO: Supplied/Sibusiso Nkosi
During this period, he realised that he wanted to live this life where he’s on a platform that allows him to deliver good performances for fans of the sport. Nkosi’s father, Madinga Nkosi told MatieMedia that his advice to his son is usually that he must continue to work hard, respect the game, and remain focused as his opportunity will come. “I always tell him that football is a difficult sport as different coaches have different philosophies and expectations,” stated Madinga Nkosi. “He should appreciate any opportunity granted to play, and learn from every situation. He should not feel discouraged – no matter what.”
Dreams turned to reality
“When the hard lockdown started, I had time to reflect because I knew it was a very important stage in my life,” Nkosi told MatieMedia. “I reignited my goal, because it looked like many people weren’t going to make it out of lockdown. But I always had a feeling we would,” stated Nkosi. “I don’t think a lot of people made it out of lockdown being a better person in terms of their careers. So, I took it upon myself to be ready once lockdown was lifted.”
Nkosi started to work hard in terms of his soccer career once the lockdown was lifted. “I think this worked for me because 6 months later, I got my first professional contract,” stated Nkosi, who was 20 years old at the time.
Sibusiso Nkosi, battling to keep the ball for Marumo Gallants FC vs Kaizer Chiefs FC in a match on 16 January 2022. PHOTO: Supplied/Sibusiso Nkosi
“I refer to him as ‘Top Boy’,” stated Miguel Timm, one of Nkosi’s teammates at Marumo Gallants FC. “He’s very inquisitive and isn’t shy to ask questions. He’s playful, very confident in his abilities and he is aware of his strengths. I would also describe him as outspoken and someone that is rarely in a bad mood,” Timm added.
Nkosi’s inspirations have been Lewis Hamilton, LeBron James, and artists such as Drake and Kanye West. “One thing that all these people have in common is their level of self-belief. I feel like I connect with these types of people the most because they back themselves before people have given them credit for it,” said Nkosi.
One of his inspirations in soccer is Zlatan Ibrahimović. “He has always had this confidence about himself, regardless of what people say about him. He sees himself as this mythical being in football,” stated Nkosi. “He has this persona of ‘I know my capabilities and I’m going to perform despite what you think.’ And I like that.”
On dealing with negativity, the best thing to do is to stick to, and trust the process, said Nkosi. “Learn from the wins you’ve had while having the losses. The most important thing is to keep trusting that your luck will turn around.”