Emerging footballer and student at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), Thubelihle Shamase, will be competing for the Young Player of the Year title at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) 2023 Awards. CAF made the announcement on Tuesday, 14 November 2023, listing 10 young African women footballers from seven countries.
The prestigious Awards Gala will be held on Monday, 11 December 2023, in Marrakech, Morocco.
Shamase is the only South African footballer nominated in this award category. She is up against Ghanaian duo Comfort Yeboah and Mary Amponsah, Moroccan international Nesryne El Chad, and Nigerians Deborah Abiodun, Esther Ajakaye and Oluwatosin Demehin. Hapsatou Diallo from Senegal as well as Winifreda Gerald from Tanzania and Fauzia Najjemba from Uganda are also nominated.
Shamase is a Diploma in Transport Management student at UJ. She scored five goals for Banyana Banyana (South Africa ‘Senior Women’s Team) at the recent 2023 Women’s COSAFA Tournament. In the tournament, Shamase was selected as part of the Group Stage Best 11 COSAFA Team.
She won the FNB Varsity Football Tournament and the University Sport South Africa (USSA) Football Championship with UJ in October and December 2022, respectively.
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