Have Banyana reached their ceiling? Uncomfortable questions for Ellis and co after Olympic miss

11 Apr

Njabulo Ngidi

Share your Subscriber Article

You have 5 articles to share every month. Send this story to a friend!

Loading, please wait...

0:00

Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis cut a disappointed figure after the loss to Nigeria, but believes her team will respond stronger to missing out on back-to-back Olympics. (Alche Greeff/Gallo Images)

Down, disappointed and dejected, Desiree Ellis held back tears as she tried to explain how and why Banyana Banyana have failed to qualify for back-to-back Olympics under her watch.

The most successful coach in the history of Banyana has scaled impressive heights with the team since taking over in 2016.

She led Banyana to Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) glory in 2022, along with reaching the last 16 of the FIFA Women's World Cup a year later – they became first senior South African football team to progress beyond the group stage in the global showpiece.

Read this for free

South Africans need to be in the know if we want to create a prosperous future. News24 has kept the country informed for 25 years, and we're about to enter a new chapter of fearless journalism. Join our free subscription trial to unlock this story and a world of news aimed to inform, empower, and inspire.

Already a subscriber? Sign in

Next on Sport

Olympic heartbreak for Banyana: African champions fall short when it matters most

09 Apr