Hildah Magaia delighted to realise dream with USA move

The former Tshwane University of Technology player was on the books of Mazatlan FC Femenino in Mexico before crossing the border to the US, where she will spend the season on loan, with Current then having an option to secure her services full-time.

The 29-year-old says she has been praying for an opportunity such as this, and is eager to make the most of her chance to impress in the NWSL.

"I'm excited about this huge opportunity I have grasped, and I'm also grateful to the Almighty for entrusting me with this talent, and answering my prayers," said Magaia in an exclusive interview with SABC Sport.

"I was well received. Everyone was so delighted to see me. This move means a lot – it means I have been granted what I have been praying for on my football journey. 

"This is one of the dreams I've had since I started playing pro-football."

She becomes the second South African in the American women’s football league, joining compatriot Linda Motlhalo, who runs out for Racing Louisville in Kentucky.

She also joins fellow Africans Temwa Chamwinga from Malawi and recent signing Mwanalima Adam Jereko, the Kenyan Women’s National Team captain.

“This is a big league – one of the best, if not the best in the world, so I'm expecting to play against some of the best players in the game," she added.

"I'm expecting high intensity from training to games. This surely is a great career move."

Magaia’s journey started at the University of Pretoria before she joined neighbours TUT, where her exploits then caught the eye of Swedish side Morön BK, who handed her her first professional contract. 

She would then move to South Korea, signing for Sejong Sportstoto, before being snapped up by Mazatlan in the Liga MX Femenin, where she managed four goals in 18 appearances since her arrival in January 2024.

“I really enjoyed my time in Mexico, more so because I got to spend time with someone I know [teammate and compatriot Sinoxolo Cesane]. The only challenge was when the results were not going our way, but we grew a lot from all those experiences,” she said.

“And gratitude should go to all the teams that have helped shape my career. The clubs I have played for have really paved the way for me. 

"I don't think without all these clubs I would be here. Each one of them played a significant role in shaping me to be the player I am today, and I'm really grateful for that."

The 29-year-old will be donning jersey number 66 “as it matches my mother’s year of birth,” she explained to the public broadcaster.

Kansas City sit in second place in the NWSL, three points behind first-place Orlando. They play Washington DC on Sunday.

READ: Banyana forward exits Mexico, signs in the USA