Spotlighting some of the best upcoming youth football talent in South Africa, Coca-Cola is going a step further this year and encouraging all South Africans particularly the youth to get active and healthy by asking them, ‘What role will you play?’
The campaign is aimed at highlighting the vital role that everyone has to play, both on and off the football pitch to encourage the youth to lead an active, healthy lifestyle through sport. The campaign will also recognise and reward team work, leadership, friendship, good sportsmanship, enthusiasm, commitment and dedication.
The campaign features eight current and former Copa Coca-Cola players from across the globe, who each embody and represent the dynamic and unique roles that make up a successful team.
Among these global ambassadors is a 16-year-old South African born Siyanda Jezile from Centurion. Jezile represents The Artist – a character renowned for its hypnotising flair and technique on the field.
South Africa’s U17 coach Molefi Ntseki says the structures such as the Copa Coca-Cola tournament are essential to the development of the generation of stars for our national teams.
“We have identified the creation of development programmes as a crucial focus for the coming years and each, and every one, has an important role to play in helping us unearth those players with national team potential,” Ntseki comments.
Two footballers who are living proof of the effectiveness of the programme as a developmental platform are Copa Coca-Cola graduates Khulekani Khubeka and Luyanda Mdlalose, who are both 16.
Khubeka and Mdlalose participated in the tournament last year and were selected to represent South Africa at the 2015 CAF African Youth Championship.
The tournament kicked off in March with the regional matches in the Eastern Cape and will finish off the regional rounds on August 1 in Mpumalanga and post the regional matches across the country, teams will then battle it out for their spot in the provincial knockouts in the hope of representing their respective provinces at the national finals taking place from September 23 to 26.
