IN PICS | Dusty fields, where World Cup dreams are born

While the World Cup captures global attention in North America, thousands of kilometres away in SA its spirit is being felt on a makeshift soccer field in Shallcross, south of Durban.

There, on dry, dusty turf, the achievement of Bafana Bafana reaching the last 32 has further inspired young players chasing their own football dreams.

“We might not be there, but every time we step on to this field, it feels like we are part of the World Cup,” said 11-year-old Mlukeki Dlamini after scoring a penalty and celebrating in the trademark style of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo.

On this uneven patch of land, children from the 1102 informal settlement gather after school to train.

Here, the Tiger Football Club, founded two years ago, is shaping boys and girls in its under-11, under-13 and under-17 teams into aspiring footballers.

The club trains from Monday to Friday, although sessions are reduced to Wednesdays and Thursdays during examination periods to allow pupils time to focus on their studies.

Despite their commitment and passion for the game, the conditions they train under remain far from ideal.

Club coach Bongisani Jwara said he started the initiative to keep children away from drugs and crime while developing football talent at grassroots level.

“The reason I started this project was to keep children away from drugs and to nurture their talent at grassroots level. These are the Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana stars of tomorrow,” he said.

However, safety remains a serious concern. The makeshift field is squeezed between a busy main road and a highway, making every training session a potential risk for the young players.

“Every training session comes with real danger. We have had children knocked down by cars, and even now we have a player recovering after such an incident. When I am not here, the risk is even greater. A ball can roll into the road at any moment, and in that split second we could lose a child while they simply try to play the game they love,” said Jwara.

Without a whistle of his own, the coach uses his voice to produce a sharp whistle that cuts across the field, commanding the attention of players during training sessions.

Despite the challenges, the children continue to train with determination, inspired by the exploits of their national team and driven by dreams of one day representing SA on football’s biggest stage.

TimesLIVE