South Africa's Under-20 skipper Patrick Autata, goalkeeper Fletcher Smythe-Lowe and defender Tylon Smith stood out as Amajita arrived at OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday after winning the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt on Sunday.
While Autata was tasked with presenting the trophy to more than 100 football fans and family members who gathered to welcome the team, for Smythe-Lowe and Smith it was time put their individual awards on display.
Smythe-Lowe won the goalkeeper of the tournament after allowing only three goals to go past him in the seven matches the team played.
Smith, a towering Stellenbosch FC defender, won the coveted Player of the Tournament award for his efforts.
The trio was still beaming alongside their teammates when they were welcomed by, among others, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos, who gave the boys some encouraging words.
“Getting to the top is easy,” said the Bafana coach.
“But staying at the top is much more difficult. Everything now starts for you. You're at the crossroads. Are you going to take the right direction and we see you again in the coming months at Bafana Bafana, in big teams here in South Africa or abroad?
“Or maybe you will take the other way, the wrong way. It is up to you now. You have every opportunity to have a nice life for the next 10 or 12 years as professional footballers. Believe me, it is the nicest profession that you can imagine.
“But you guys have to work hard. Guys, choose the right lifestyle. I hope to welcome you in the next months at Bafana Bafana.”
Indeed, players like Smythe-Lowe have their future almost lined up to fulfil the promise and dreams that Broos was advising Amajita players to aspire to.
Smythe-Lowe was the only overseas-based player in Raymond Mdaka's team and he spoke of his immediate plans after winning gold in Egypt.
The gloveman grew up in Cape Town but relocated to Portugal with his parents during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Though already playing football at that time, he never quite knew if he would end up representing his country at an international tournament such as the junior Afcon.
Eighteen-year-old Smythe-Lowe plays for Estoril's Under-19 side but his exploits in Egypt, which involve keeping a clean sheet in the 1-0 semifinal win over Nigeria and another 1-0 victory over Morocco in the final, may have catapulted his stature to another level.
His performance in Egypt might have already convinced the powers that be at Estoril, a Lisbon-based Primeira Liga side, to promote him to the first team next season.
If Smythe-Lowe keeps his form, he may also become the next Bafana No 1 after Ronwen Williams, especially if he shines again at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Chile later this year where South Africa , Nigeria, Morocco and Egypt will represent the African continent.
“It's a difficult question to answer right now, but I think what I need to do is go back home to Portugal and rest for a week or two after this incredible achievement for everyone, and I need to earn the opportunity to play in the World Cup,” Smythe-Lowe said when asked of his immediate plans.
“Even though you're a goalkeeper of the tournament for Afcon and this is an amazing honour, not only for me but for the team and for our fans, you still have to earn the privilege to play in the World Cup. It's important for me to stay humble and stay dedicated.”
By the time he left Cape Town in 2020, Smythe-Lowe was already in the junior ranks of Ubuntu FC, though he says he grew up supporting Kaizer Chiefs.
“To be honest when I left, I wasn't thinking of professional football, I was just thinking of what's best for me and my family. Obviously if you put in the work and you're consistent, then opportunities come. I didn't really have this [football] in mind.
“But I've definitely now fallen in love with football. We've just had a tournament where we were playing a game every three days and it's pretty much impossible to produce what we did. But as I said, that's just testament to the coaching staff, the players and everyone behind the scenes who don't get the credit.”
There's no doubt that Smythe-Lowe, like Broos predicted, may be one of those Amajita players with a good chance of having a long and fulfilling football career in the coming years.
So far Smythe-Lowe hasn't heard of any offers locally or abroad.
“I mean it's always a possibility,” he said of the chances of one day playing in South Africa.
“But as I said before, it's just to work hard for now. I'm only 18 and I have time, so it's about working hard and seeing where the future takes me. When I was young, I supported Ubuntu obviously, and I did support Chiefs when I was younger.”
Smythe-Lowe didn't rule out playing for Chiefs one day saying: “It's a possibility in the future, but as I said, I have to work hard and see what the future holds.”
For now, Smythe-Lowe's priority is to take a few days off before returning to the field to start preparing for the World Cup in Chile.
Amajita's start in Egypt was not that convincing after they lost 1-0 to the hosts, Egypt. They bounced back by beating Tanzania 1-0 and Sierra Leone 4-1, before drawing 1-1 with Zambia in the final group match which ensured they finished on top of their group with seven points.
“Absolutely not,” said Smythe-Lowe when asked if he was surprised at what they achieved in Egypt. “We're a group of individuals who have individual qualities. When you put those qualities together it's incredible what they can do. It's not a surprise at all.”
Amajita's victory over Morocco in the final was very significant in that it erased the memories of 1997 when Shakes Mashaba's Amajita team lost 1-0 to Morocco in the final of the Afcon.
“Obviously as players we're not ignorant, we're aware of these things and of these scenarios, but in the back of our minds we've pulled it off ourselves. We knew what we could do and what we needed to do was to go out there and perform.”
While there's no doubt Smythe-Lowe played a huge part in making Amajita join Banyana Banyana (2022) and Bafana Bafana (1996) in becoming continental champions, he acknowledged the work of everyone in the team.
“If I can help the team by making a couple of saves here and there it's what I'm there to do. But I'm not the only one because it comes from the press, the tackles, the midfield battles and aerial duels in defence.
“And obviously if I can help the team by making a few saves that's great. But at the end of the day, we're just a unit and this is what made us to do so well.”
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