BAFANA FRIDAY | I’ve got this: Thabiso Monyane’s unshakable faith in his Bafana Bafana dream

For a man who has endured more than his fair share of injury setbacks, Thabiso Monyane speaks with the calm assurance of someone who knows his story is far from over. The Kaizer Chiefs right-back — who has represented South Africa at every level from Under-17 to the senior team — remains hopeful that his name will one day be called again for Bafana Bafana, perhaps even on football’s biggest stage.

“I’m a very optimistic young man,” he says, his tone both determined and light-hearted.

“You never know what might happen. Every time I get the chance to play, I give my all. Anything is possible — and as Bra Bob said, I’ve got this.”

That phrase — “I’ve got this” — has become something of a personal mantra for Monyane. It reflects a mindset honed not just by the pressures of professional football, but by lessons learned through perseverance, faith, and a career-long partnership with Adidas, the brand that has stood beside him from his earliest steps in the game.

“They’ve been with me since I was young,” he recalls.

“When I was still in the development ranks, I was wearing Adidas boots. They saw a young man with potential and believed in me. It’s been nothing but an absolute pleasure — and it just goes to show that if you take care of things, they last.”

It’s no coincidence that Monyane associates Adidas with unity and possibility. His earliest memories of the brand go back to the 2010 Fifa World Cup — the moment Siphiwe Tshabalala’s thunderbolt goal sent the nation into ecstasy.

“That’s the highlight for me,” he says with a smile.

“That moment, and the Jabulani ball — that’s when Adidas became something special to me. To me, the brand is all about togetherness, about showing that impossible is nothing.”

That sense of togetherness has defined Monyane’s journey. From growing up alongside Lyle Foster — now a Premier League striker — to coming through the youth national teams together, he has lived what it means to grow within a collective dream.

“It’s been inspiring,” he says. “Seeing Lyle make it to the top keeps pushing me. We’ve always believed that with hard work, our time will come.”

And yet, belief alone doesn’t shield a player from the physical toll of the game. Monyane knows that better than most. A string of injuries once threatened to derail his career, but his response was not self-pity — it was self-improvement.

“Injuries are part of football,” he says.

“At this level, you have to take care of your body. I found out I needed to see a podiatrist regularly because one leg was taking more load than the other. I even spoke to Adidas to help me organise inner soles to correct it.

"These are small details, but they matter. Imagine an injury-free Thabiso — that’s the version I’m working toward.”

That resilience has not gone unnoticed. When national coach Hugo Broos attended a recent match, Monyane seized the moment, turning in a solid performance capped by an assist.

“It felt great,” he says.

“To have the coach watching after I’d been out was special. You never know — I could still make that AFCON squad. I’ll keep raising my hand.”

Whether or not that call-up comes for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, Monyane’s belief in his ultimate goal remains unwavering: representing South Africa at the World Cup.

“It would be an honour to wear the Bafana jersey with the Adidas logo on it — and my F50s — on that stage,” he says, eyes lighting up.

“It would mean I’ve come full circle, from the youth teams all the way to the world stage. That’s every player’s dream.”

And when he says it, you believe him — not just because of his words, but because of the quiet conviction behind them. For Thabiso Monyane, impossible is nothing.