Many South African footballers have shown that it is possible to balance their football careers with education, as evidenced by players such as Cassius Mailula and Katlego Ntsabeleng, who are now based in the United States. Bafana Bafana’s Percy Tau has also secured a Bachelor of Commerce degree from UNISA while playing in Europe. These players, along with others, have set themselves up for life after football by pursuing degrees. For example, Mailula obtained a sports science degree from Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), and Ntsabeleng earned a degree in Sports and Fitness Administration from the University of Coastal Carolina.
Thabiso Lebitso, an Orlando Pirates winger, holds a Sports Management qualification from TUT, and Tshireletso Motsogi, a former Stellenbosch FC midfielder, has a BSc in Engineering: Metallurgy & Materials and works as a Process Technician in the mining sector. Similarly, SuperSport United midfielder Jesse Donn earned a BCom in Entrepreneurship and Economics through Cornerstone Institute. These examples demonstrate that achieving a balance between football and education is indeed achievable for South African players.