Johannesburg, South Africa – February 01:
Siphiwe Tshabalala attended the Nedbank Cup Ambassadors event at The Galleria in Johannesburg, South Africa. The dreadlocked midfielder, who will turn 40 in September, was last associated with AmaZulu in 2021. Not content to simply retire, the Phiri-born star has been diligently building his off-field career by taking on various ambassadorial roles with well-known brands around the world. During a conversation with the Siya crew at Nedbank’s Ya Rona house, where he holds an official ambassador position, Shabba offered insight into his post-football life.
“To continue working with the brands, I’m enjoying the association and I see value in that,” he mentioned. Additionally, he expressed his appreciation for the new online stadium, SNL24.com, as Soccer Laduma’s new home, and recognized it as a great opportunity, foreseeing growth and longevity in that space. He stressed that he will not be disconnected from football as he owes everything to the sport and will forever be grateful. Tshabalala also discussed his involvement in grassroots football through his foundation, which organizes an annual football tournament between June and July.
This is an area he is passionate about and he aims to combine it with academic knowledge. Expressing a desire to complement his extensive practical experience with academic qualification, he believes it is a stamp of approval. Furthermore, he plans to acquire coaching badges to deepen his knowledge and impart that knowledge to the younger generation from a coaching perspective.