CR Vasco da Gama star striker Miche Minnies has signed with Mamelodi Sundowns FC Ladies, joining fellow Capetonians Thalea Smidt and Lelona Daweti in making the long journey across the country to Chloorkop.
The 20-year-old Minnies, whose goal-scoring prowess helped Vasco to win the Sasol National Championships last month to qualify for the HollywoodBets Super League, has penned a four-year deal with the African Champions.
(Image: Vasco Da Gama Team)
The opportunity to sign her first professional football contract comes at a challenging time for Minnies, who lost her mom last year.
“Having come from Heinz Park, a forgotten place, I still miss her each and every day. But I know she would have been proud of me, having signed my first professional contract for Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies.”
(Image: Vasco Da Gama Coach Ashraf Calvert & Miche Minnies)
Minnies has achieved so much in her short career already, having represented both the under 17 and under 20 national teams at both World Cups in Uruguay and Zambia in 2018. She was a star performer at the Sasol National Championships in Durban, finishing as both the Player of the Tournament and the Top Goal Scorer of the competition.
Interestingly, Minnies may soon play against her old team in the Super League – the top women’s league in the country.
“Of course, I’m very excited about the opportunity of playing for Sundowns,” said the goal machine today, just before she boarded a flight to join the Kabo Yellow Ladies. “But playing against Vasco will be extremely tough.”
Vasco will sorely miss her heroism in their first year in the Super League, but there are no hard feelings.
“It’s good because they wanted to sign four of our players, but ended up signing one only,” said Vasco coach Ashraf Calvert.
Calvert expressed his excitement and jubilation for Minnies, seeing it as a life-changing move for a great young female player, and a financial boost and relief for her family in tough times.
The move is also good for the game – it’s a move that will further elevate the talent in Cape Town and the excellent work that Vasco Da Gama Ladies had done.
“I’m ecstatic because when players get signed to bigger clubs, as a coach you feel a sense of accomplishment and you change lives,” said the Sasol National League winning coach.
“That’s what we are here to do: get them to the next step and help transform their lives for the better.”
(Image: Calvert & Minnies at the airport)
Edited by Nicklaus Kruger
