First batch of stranded gamers land in C City to jubilant welcome – SABC Information

Scenes of jubilation as the first batch of football players stranded in Europe arrived at the Cape Town International Airport this afternoon.

They have been staying at a hotel in Lisbon for nearly a week after the organisers of their overseas trip, allegedly, couldn’t afford return flight tickets and had to rely on donors and private funders to get them home.

Three players, Aakifah Damon, Keeno Damons and Pauline Myaba touched down in Cape Town on Wednesday.

The players and the officials say, despite the traumatic ordeal they went through, they had a wonderful experience playing in Spain and enjoyed their stay.

“It was intense, completely different from South African football, more hectic, but it was a beautiful experience, and I can grow from that experience in my career, knowing now the standards and the levels. It’s amazing to be back knowing for a fact that the community, the family were behind us. Everything is going viral, knowing that all South Africans are behind us. Like I said, also the community and the players that are currently playing at the tournament gave us as coaches a bit of hope and the players, a bit of hope.”

Meanwhile, SAFA Cape Winelands says the group that took the youth to play in Spain, the BT Academy, is not a member of SAFA.

The remainder of the players will arrive back in South Africa on Thursday.

Stranded in Spain | Remaining young soccer players