Ntuthuko Maphumulo
Joanne “Shibobo” Solomon (25) is Banyana Banyana’s top goal scorer with 19 goals.
She has so far scored two goals in the African Championship for Women’s Football, but hopes to score more in their final match against Nigeria on Saturday. Her nickname comes from her ability to pass the ball through opponents’ legs to nutmeg them, as the English say.
Solomon started playing soccer at the tender age of nine with boys around her home town of Stellenbosch. She made her debut for Banyana Banyana in 1996 and since then has not looked back.
Her footballing idol and the person she tries to emulate on the field is Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana striker Siyabonga Nomvete, because of his way of controlling the ball and his finishing.
After each game in this tournament “my family calls me up to tell me how I played and also advise me on what to do”, says Solomon.
Solomon plays for Spurs FC in Cape Town and has been awarded the golden boot and player of the year trophy by the club.