Sandra
Andile Dlamini won the Momentum Athlete of the Year award at the 18th Momentum gsport Awards in September. These awards are an important event in South Africa that aims to recognize and promote the visibility of women in sports, including football.
In addition to being a top South African football player, Dlamini is also a talented singer. She has released ten songs to showcase her passion for music.
Dlamini demonstrated her impressive singing abilities at the 2023 Momentum gsport Awards in Johannesburg on September 12, where she performed as the opening act with support from the Indoni Higher Primary choir.
Surviving the pandemic
After making her musical debut, Dlamini posted on the social media platform X in June, “Sometimes life will throw you lemons, (but) as sour as they are, make lemonade. So behind this beautiful acting is my beautiful angelic voice.”
In July, she shared with BBC Sport Africa that music played a crucial role in her COVID-19 recovery during the pandemic. Two years ago, Dlamini’s career suffered a huge blow due to COVID-19, and she expressed the desperation of her situation.
“I didn’t think I would ever play football again and I don’t think the doctors thought I would ever play football again.” she said.
Fortunately, Dlamini made an impressive comeback after six months of recovery. She expressed gratitude for the doctors at her South African top-flight club, Mamelodi Sundowns, and her family. She also explained how helpful music was during her struggle.
“Music played a huge role in my recovery,” Dlamini said. “There is a song called ‘Ngicela kukhanye,’ which is Zulu for ‘Please Bring Me Brightness.’ That song healed me on its own.”
Both singer and footballer
Football is incredibly popular in South Africa, including women’s football, allowing inspiring figures like Dlamini to thrive.
Whether locally or at large international events like the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosted in South Africa, football always attracts a huge audience in the country. The popularity of football in the country is also evident in the numerous TV commercials featuring football stars. Additionally, the high number of football sportsbets/sportingbet placed by South Africans is another supporting factor.
Dlamini’s success as both a football player and singer has inspired many. She has excelled in her football career for her team and the national squad in recent years. In the recent CAF Women’s Champions League, she didn’t concede any goals, playing against some of the best African women’s teams in Cote d’Ivoire.
She’s a key player for Mamelodi Sundowns and the national champions, Banyana Banyana. She is even among the top 3 finalists for the 2023 CAF Goalkeeper of the Year.
Despite having two careers, her future in football is highly anticipated, as she stated that football remains her biggest passion for now.
“They are both my careers – but right now, football is dominating,” Dlamini explains.
