Banyana Banyana midfielder Linda Motlhalo said South Africa are still among Africa's top teams, ahead of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), and that the country is producing enough quality players to win more titles in years to come.
South Africa picked up their first WAFCON title in 2022 in Morocco, who also hosted last year's tournament and will again play hosts this year from July 26 - August 16. Banyana Banyana relinquished their crown with a semi-final exit last year at the hands of eventual champions Nigeria.
Glasgow City star Motlhalo feels that Banyana will be treated as a major team for everyone else to raise their game against at this year's WAFCON despite Desiree Ellis' side no longer being African champions.
"I feel like every time, it doesn't matter who we compete against; I feel like the other teams are always on their A-game," Motlhalo told ESPN.
"So, I wouldn't say we are underdogs. I would always say that we are the team that people want to punish."
Refiloe Jane, Thembi Kgatlana, Noko Matlou, Jermaine Seoposenwe and Motlhalo were the most prominent overseas-based players in the squad during their 2022 triumph. Matlou and Seoposenwe have retired from national team duty, with Jane now 33 years old, Kgatlana 30 and Motlhalo 28.
While they may have years of quality output ahead of them, they are now senior players and the upcoming tournament may give an indication of the strength of the next generation rising through the system to complement them.
"South Africa is still producing players like me and Thembi Kgatlana. There's a place called the High Performance Centre [now known as SAFA Girls Academy], where you go there at the age of [around] 12 and then that's where you get your basics. I think there are still players that are being produced in South Africa," Motlhalo said.
Defender Karabo Dhlamini and goalkeeper Kaylin Swart are among South Africa's products through this system, which SAFA currently runs in conjunction with the FIFA Technical Development Scheme via the FIFA Academies Programme.
Motlhalo and Kgatlana are products of TuksSport High School, which gave elite athletes the opportunity to hone their talents at the University of Pretoria's High Performance Centre while completing their secondary schooling.
Development pathways in women's football are scarce, but the recent formalisation of Kaizer Chiefs' women's team gives young girls another reason to dare to dream.
Chiefs are one of South Africa's most popular clubs. Mamelodi Sundowns -- the current men's African champions -- have a highly successful and established women's team, with Orlando Pirates the only one out of South Africa's 'big three' football clubs yet to create one.
"Kaizer Chiefs now have a women's team, so that is amazing, but we would like more teams to have women's teams. In that way, women's football can grow in South Africa," Motlhalo said.
Banyana have only four players in this year's preliminary WAFCON squad who are currently on the books of overseas-based clubs: Motlhalo, Kgatlana (Tigres UANL), Amogelang Motau (Club Tijuana) and Bongeka Gamede (Nordsjælland).
Of the 31 players in the preliminary squad - which is set to be trimmed down to 26 for the tournament - 12 are Sundowns players. Seven are from the University of the Western Cape, with JVW FC boasting five representatives.
Captain Jane is now at TS Galaxy, with goalkeeper Katlego Moletsane the lone representative from the University of Fort Hare and Hildah Magaia currently unattached.
South Africa will kick off their campaign against Tanzania in Casablanca on July 27 before further Group B fixtures with more games in the same city against Ivory Coast on July 31 and Burkina Faso on August 4.