Soccer Grannies head to Russia to play in the Veterans League and South Africa couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishment.
The “Vhakegula, Vhakegula” team (meaning “granny, granny”), have been invited to play at the Veterans League Championship Russia for the Fifa World Cup.
The team of grannies was started by Rebecca Ntsanwisi, a social worker in Limpopo, in 2003 after seeing the need for a therapeutic release among the elderly woman. The grannies are aged between 55 and 84. It all began by doing aerobics as a way to stay fit and active.
By chance, they started kicking around a soccer ball and immediately it became the preferred activity and past time for the grannies of Limpopo.
“The village grannies “Vhakegula Vhakegula” lace up their soccer boots and start kicking their way through centuries of taboos. They play serious soccer then break into laughter and traditional song as they wage a singular fight for a decent life, true health and a snatch at joy in a brutal world.”
“Dealing with their own stories of abuse, poverty & neglect these women come together on the soccer pitch for their weekly dose of therapy- both emotional & physical and to celebrate being alive.”
The Limpopo team has inspired teams to start all over South Africa with more than 40 informal settlements creating their very own teams. The movement has even made its way into Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
We first shared the Soccer Grannies story back in 2017 when we learned that they were having a movie made about their lives. In that story, Rebecca discussed her dream of having a soccer granny world cup or cup of Africa, so being able to go to Russia for the World Cup must be such wonderful news for the team.
Go gogos! Congratulations to South Africa's grannies soccer team from Limpopo, Vakhegula – Vakhegula invited to play in a veterans league championship at #WorldCup in Russia! ❤🇿🇦 📷FIFA pic.twitter.com/j5gALpeAwZ
— Ulrich Janse van Vuuren (@UlrichJvV) June 17, 2018
Vakhegula invade Russia |
Members of the Vakhegula Vakhegula soccer team from Nkowa-Nkowa 🇿🇦 have touched down in Dubai enroute to Russia to honour a Grannies Summer Football Championships invitation & to watch some of the #WorldCup matches before they return to SA on Friday. pic.twitter.com/3qnq3iSGMP
— LimSportsZone (@LimSportsZone) June 18, 2018
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