Talented local footballer dreams of making impact with Dutch team
FORMER Staats Primary School pupil, 18 year-old Lebohang Mathikga’s dream of joining Dutch team Feyenoord FC for football trials in Cape Town from December 18-22 hangs in the balance as he is out of pocket to fund his way to the coast.
According to the lad’s father, Lebohang Mathikga senior, who plays the role of father, coach and agent, and who spoke to the DFA on Monday, his charge was born in Warrenton and grew up in Kimberley from where he attended Staats Primary school until Grade 7.
The youngster initially started out playing cricket while at Staats but soon dropped that sport to follow his passion for football. His first team experience in this direction was with Lusitano, a team then based in Barkly West.
“We later moved to Klerksdorp where he was enrolled at Klerksdorp Technical High. At that school he got to venture more into the sport of football as the school had soccer as one of the main sports.
“He played for the Klerksdorp Technical’s Under-15, Under-17 and the first team in most cases as a fullback. This year he was bestowed with the Josè Jardim ‘Most Valuable Player’ award for 2022,” Mathikga senior told the DFA.
He went on to tell that his son and 70 other youngsters from the southern African region had, in March this year, gone to a soccer clinic in Cape Town hosted by Atlético de Madrid. At that clinic they were mentored by Uefa-licence coaches and they got to play matches against local clubs.
Out of the 70 players at the clinic, 40 youngsters were selected for a Manchester United soccer academy tour in the United Kingdom. While in the UK they went to train under the UK-based coaches there and played matches against the Fleetwood Town FC International team as well as the Bolton Wanderers Under-19 team.
“They also visited some of the biggest stadiums in England such as Old Trafford, Etihad Stadium and Anfield, to name a few,” Mathikga senior said, adding that “They also met legendary, former Premier League player Quinton Fortune. The latter is one of Manchester United’s managers alongside Benni McCarthy. They also met the England Under-20 national team coach.”
Mathikga expressed the wish that his son could follow through on his dream to make it to the trials in Cape Town.
“As his father I’m his manager and his agent. And for now I’m his coach and trainer too. As his parents we support him physically and financially. Like now he has to go to Cape Town in December.
“We want to appeal to anyone to help us raise at least R50k (R50,000) for everything including travel, accommodation and medical insurance for that period. But it is tough for us now.”
Meanwhile, Mathikga junior is among the thousands of South African learners who are currently writing their national senior certificate examinations.