The timing of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup couldn’t be any better for Thembi Kgatlana – at least after everything that happened last summer.
A year ago, the South African forward was flying high, having just signed with Racing Louisville FC for a second stint in the National Women’s Soccer League and representing her national team at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. But at that tournament, after scoring a goal and leading South Africa to back-to-back group stage wins (and an eventual African championship), Kgatlana suffered a torn Achilles tendon.
Her hopes of playing for South Africa in what would be her second World Cup flickered.
“If you had to unpack it, coming to the NWSL was the best decision for me because (the World Cup) is during the season,” Kgatlana said. “A lot of other players are out of their seasons. I’m playing and getting more minutes. If I was in Europe, it wouldn’t be the case because I would still be coming back from my injury. The NWSL is in season, so I have momentum going into the World Cup.”
There’s a lot of ground to cover from the day she suffered what could’ve been a career-ending injury to now, when Kgatlana is days away from putting on her familiar No. 11 jersey for South Africa’s World Cup opener against Sweden at 1 a.m. Sunday, July 23, in New Zealand. The 27-year-old Kgatlana, however, covers ground at a rapid pace and with joie de vivre.
She returned to South Africa for surgery and the early stages of rehabilitation, with the South African Football Association and Racing Louisville medical teams working together on Kgatlana’s recovery plan. In late January, she arrived in Louisville with her new team, six months after she originally planned to be in the Derby City. By April, the spark plug attacker was in training.
Her first appearance in a Racing uniform came on May 6 in Orlando. Since then, Kgatlana has one goal and one assist in 10 appearances, providing a constant attacking threat from the left flank.
Best of all, Kgatlana has helped Racing push for an NWSL playoff spot and achieved her goal of making South Africa’s World Cup squad.
“The most important thing was for me to be healthy,” Kgatlana said. “I’m very grateful that Louisville took care of me and made sure I came back healthy and that I’m playing and being the player I was. Now it’s going into the national team and seeing what I can do coming back from injury.”
There is significant history for Kgatlana to build on. She scored South Africa’s first-ever World Cup goal in 2019 in France, a highlight-reel finish against Spain, one of the best teams on the planet. That moment pushed her to want more for her team this time around in Australia and New Zealand.
“For me it will always be a great memory, but it also reminds me of the standard of playing at the World Cup,” Kgatlana said. “I keep that in the back of my mind. It’s something that will always motivate me going into any other game because I know that I want to score and be a player who helps the team get points.”
To be having that conversation a year after such a significant injury is something Kgatlana fully appreciates. Her magnetic personality, both on and off the field, immediately made her popular with her teammates in Louisville. That comes through when she talks about her club, and it comes through when she talks about her journey to get to this point.
“It’s amazing to play in the World Cup,” Kgatlana said. “It is worth the wait.”
