South Africa women's national soccer team
The South Africa women's national soccer team (Afrikaans: Suid-Afrikaanse nasionale vrouesokkerspan), known as Banyana Banyana (The Girls), represents South Africa in international women's soccer. It is managed by the South African Football Association. They have participated in two Olympic Games, two FIFA Women's World Cups, and 14 Women's African Cup of Nations. They were the second-best team five times before finally winning it once. They've also taken part in all 10 COSAFA Women's Championships, winning seven times, coming second twice, and finishing fourth once. Banyana Banyana's very first official match was on 30th May 1993 against Swaziland, which they won 14–0. Desiree Ellis, who later became the coach of the winning Women's AFCON team, played in that game and scored three goals.
| Nickname(s) | Banyana Banyana | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | South African Football Association | ||
| Confederation | CAF (Africa) | ||
| Sub-confederation | COSAFA (Southern Africa) | ||
| Head coach | Desiree Ellis | ||
| Captain | Refiloe Jane | ||
| Most caps | Janine Van Wyk (170) | ||
| Top scorer | Portia Modise (101) | ||
| FIFA code | RSA | ||
| |||
| FIFA ranking | |||
| Current | 48  2 (7 December 2018)[1] | ||
| Highest | 45 (August 2023) | ||
| Lowest | 74 (June – September 2005; December 2007) | ||
| First international | |||
 South Africa 14–0 Swaziland  (Johannesburg, South Africa; 30 May 1993) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
 South Africa 17–0 Comoros  (Port Elizabeth, South Africa; 31 July 2019) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
 China 13–0 South Africa  (Dalian, China; 7 September 2003) | |||
| World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 2 (first in 2019) | ||
| Best result | Round of 16 (2023) | ||
| Africa Women Cup of Nations | |||
| Appearances | 13 (first in 1995) | ||
| Best result | Champions (2022) | ||
| Summer Olympics | |||
| Appearances | 2 (first in 2012) | ||
| Best result | 10th (2012) | ||
Their first international match outside Africa was against China, and they played two matches, losing 8-0 and 13–0, with the latter being their heaviest defeat. Their first victory against a non-African nation was in 2000 when they beat Scotland 2–0. This happened at the Cyrus Women's Cup.
South Africa's biggest win was in a COSAFA Women's Championship match in Gqeberha on 31st July 2019 when they defeated Comoros 17–0. Captain Refiloe Jane scored four of the goals.
References
change- ↑ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 7 December 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2018.