South African professional soccer player
Melinda Kgadiete (born 21 July 1992) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as an attacking midfielder for SAFA Women's League club Mamelodi Sundowns and the South African women's national team .
Club career
Bloemfontein Celtics Ladies
Kgadiete was part of the Bloemfontein Celtics Ladies squad that won the 2017 Sasol League National Championship with her scoring a brace to help the team win 2-0 against Cape Town Roses in the final held in Mbombela.[ 4]
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies
In 2021, she joined SAFA Women's League side Mamelodi Sundowns and was part of the team that won the 2021 COSAFA Women's Champions League . She was the top scorer at the inaugural COSAFA Women's Champions League with 5 goals.[ 5]
In the 2021 CAF Women's Champions League , Kgadiete scored the winning goal in the first match against Vihiga Queens from Kenya. The club went on to win the inaugural CAF Women's Champions League held in Egypt. The club completed their treble by winning the 2021 Hollywoodbets Super League .[ 6] [ 7]
She was a runner-up for the 2022 COSAFA Women's Champions League with Kgadiete scoring 3 goals in the tournament and named Player of the Tournament.[ 8] The club reached their second consecutive CAF Women's Champions League final and were runner's up to AS FAR in the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League . Kgadiete contributed two goals in the tournament.[ 9] In November, Sundowns Ladies were crowned 2022 Hollywoodbets Super League champions for the third successive time.[ 10]
In 2023, she won the 2023 COSAFA Women's Champions League and the 2023 CAF Women's Champions League with Sundowns Ladies. Kgadiete scored the winner in the second CAF Women's Champions League group stage match against SCC Casablanca .[ 11] In December, they completed the treble by winning the 2023 Hollywoodbets Super League . Kgadiete scored 14 goals in 22 appearances.[ 12]
International career
Kgadiete competed for the South Africa women's national soccer team at the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations were they finished in second place.[ 1] [ 3]
She was part of the South African women's national team at the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations where they won their first continental title and the 2023 FIFA Women's World cup where they reached the last 16.[ 13] [ 14]
Honours
Club
Bloemfontein Celtics Ladies
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies
South Africa
Individual
References