Lerato Kgasago: Wining this title is all we think about!
Mamelodi Sundowns’ midfielder Lerato Kgasago is one of the team’s key players. With her experience and her love to Massandawana, she’s shown a high-level performance so far in the maiden TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League tournament.
“I’ve been playing for Mamelodi Sundowns since 2013. In my football career, I’ve had ups and downs, many injuries, but I’ve enjoyed it very much. I played for South Africa national teams U-17, U-20, and the senior team as well. I’ve managed to secure a deal overseas in Iceland for two years and came back, so I did interesting things,” Lerato told CAFOnline.com.
Lerato who’s now in the semifinals stage with her team fell in love with football as a child. “I’m the only girl in our home, and my father used to play football. So, I started playing football at the age of 6 with a boys’ team. To be honest, I’ve been lucky to have my family’s support. Even though they got scared for me at times, of getting injured, specially playing with boys, but they kept supporting me. My mother even used to take me to my trainings,” she explained.
“When you reach a certain age, you realize that being only a footballer does not help you financially, as women’s football does not have enough money as the men’s game. So, I made sure to secure myself with another full-time job. I had to work on both at the same time” Kgasago explained the situation of being a female footballer.
About playing in the CAF Women’s Champions League at the age of 30, Lerato said: “I feel honored and lucky to be in this tournament at this age. Since the beginning we only think about writing history with wining this title, it’s all we think about”.
Kgasago got emotional talking about her life and the journey to where she is today, but she wanted to inspire other girls as well: “To be where I am today, I owe it to my supporting mother, and to my recently passed away grandmother. I’ve been through many challenges in my life, but it all made me the strong woman I am today. So, girls must not give up; everything comes with time. Do not get distracted with downs, consistent work and training gets you where you want,” she concluded.