Nicole Michael’s football journey embodies the continuity we admire in athletes. It began with her participation in the National U17s at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and has since evolved, making her a pivotal player for Desiree Ellis’ Banyana Banyana.

The attacker, who has been sensational for her club TS Galaxy, initially honed her skills playing football on the streets of Riverlea, West of Johannesburg. From there, she made her mark with teams like Bloemfontein Celtics and Royal AM Ladies, fuelled by her passion and love for the game, which propelled her ambitions forward.

Michael made an immediate impact for Banyana, scoring a crucial goal against Burkina Faso in a 3-1 victory, marking her first goal for the reigning WAFCON champions. This performance secured them an opportunity to defend their trophy at the next tournament in Morocco 2025.

As this dynamic star etches her name in the history books of South Africa’s football, she admits the road to being an international star has had a few challenges.