Banyana star Seoposenwe announces retirement from international football

Banyana Banyana and CF Monterrey striker Jermaine Seoposenwe has officially announced that she will retire from international football after the upcoming 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.

The 31-year-old made heartfelt announcements on her personal social media platforms, revealing that the decision, though difficult, has been long in the making.

“Let me start by saying thank you, South Africa, for the opportunity to represent you. It was truly a privilege and an honour to walk onto the pitch and represent the beautiful people of this country with passion and pride,” wrote Seoposenwe.

“I have made the difficult decision to retire from the Senior Women’s National Team, better known as Banyana Banyana, after the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which will be held in Morocco from the 5th to the 26th of July 2025.

“I know this might come as a surprise to many; however, I felt it was the perfect time. The idea of stepping away has been on my heart for a while, and as I continue to evolve as a human being and a footballer, it has become more evident to me that this is the best decision for my well-being.”

Retiring From International Football pic.twitter.com/Xgcv9cDzzd

— Jermaine Seoposenwe (@jermaine109) June 16, 2025

Seoposenwe is currently named in coach Desiree Ellis’s preliminary 28-player squad for WAFCON, a tournament where she hopes to make one final impact before calling time on her international career.

Her international career dates over a span of 15 years, having made her senior debut in 2010.

Since then, she has earned over 100 caps and scored more than 20 international goals, becoming one of South Africa’s most respected footballers.

She has represented South Africa at two Fifa Women’s World Cups (2019 and 2023) and played a key role in Banyana’s historic 2022 WAFCON triumph, where the team lifted the continental title for the first time in its history.

In 2015 she played a starring role when she scored the decisive goal against Equatorial Guinea that secured South Africa’s qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.