Though he’s a people’s person, footballer-cum-fashionista Linda Mntambo prefers to ride alone. It’s not unusual to find PSL players who live in the same neighbourhoods driving together to and from training, but that’s not the case with the Sekhukhune United captain.
Bar a grande cup of Cappuccino, Figo, as the enterprising midfielder is fondly known, opts for his own company for a 40-minute trip from Soweto to Bedfordview, his team’s training grounds.
“I don’t like riding with anyone because I sing out loud. That’s my ‘me time’. That’s the time I sing my lungs out. It’s like Idols, and there’s no judge. In fact, I’m the judge, so I give myself a golden ticket,” says the 35-year-old, who usually jams to RnB, Gospel and AmaPiano.
Mntambo, one of the most colourful characters in the PSL, lives, loves and laughs out loud. He is never shy to express himself, whether through words or fashion.
He often posts his workouts and other activities on his socials to the enchantment of his football followers. For the better part of his professional football career, launched at Jomo Cosmos, Mntambo has always soared above his teammates in song.
LINDA MNTAMBO’S EXPRESSIVE CHARACTER
“I shock myself at times. I would be lying if I told you where my expressive character comes from. I have always been like this. It’s just how I was created, and I enjoy it. I don’t want attention because I give myself their attention. I am a happy person, so I express myself,” the father of four tells FARPost.
“My happiness comes first. I choose me over everyone, you know. I choose me over my family, my wife, kids, and the people that are close to me. You know, if I am happy with myself, then it becomes easy for me to operate from that space. Then I am able to make others happy.”
“That is why, when I am around other people, there’s laughter—it is just good vibes because I am able to have that with myself. I think with just everything, it just starts with you. If you love yourself, you are then able to love the next person because you already love you.”
For Mntambo, a career is making a living, but family is life. His revolves around affording a better life for his wife, children, and extended family members. He credits his family for aiding him to maintain discipline, which has ensured longevity in the game.
TOILED IN RETAIL BEFORE PSL BREAKTHROUGH
“When we talk about successful people, especially athletes, there is something they all have in common- a strong support system. Take basketball, for example. LeBron James has a family. The late Kobe Bryant had a family. In football, Lionel Messi has a family, and so does Cristiano Ronaldo.
“Look at rugby, most rugby players are in committed relationships. The same goes for cricket; the majority of top players are in stable relationships. It contributes to their success. I don’t think we speak a lot about how important having a good support structure, like having a family, is for the success of an athlete,” says the former Orlando Pirates player.
“Family also helps you with discipline. Imagine Linda scores a hat trick in the derby and everybody wants a taste of you. If you don’t have a family, you can be everywhere because everyone wants a piece of you, but when you’ve got people that you know, ‘I need to go back to those people. ‘I need to be accountable.’ ‘I need to report to those people’. So, for me, that’s family.”
It is the discipline inculcated by his mother and reinforced by his later brother, who encouraged him to always put in the work, which has seen Figo play at the top for a decade. Though he stood out in certain seasons, Mntambo has only one Bafana Bafana cap to his name. His journey to stardom was not without challenges. At some point, he toiled in retail before getting his breakthrough in the PSL. The Mzimhlophe man’s most challenging season was last year when he got sidelined by injury for the better part of the season. He would make an impressive comeback, earning praises for his resilience.
BEST TIME AT ORLANDO PIRATES
At Sekhukhune, Mntambo is a livewire on and off the pitch, with teammates and coaches looking to him to provide leadership and inspiration. He does knuckle down and chips in with crucial goals. His showings at Babina Noko serve as a redemption for his stay at Pirates, where he had mixed fortunes.
Though Figo won the MTN8 with Bucs, he was not the industrious and influential player he was at Chippa United, where he was a consistent and excellent performer.
“I have got no regrets,” reflects Mntambo about his four-year stay at Bucs. “I had my best time at Orlando Pirates. I enjoyed every single day, even going to training. It’s a team I supported, and my family did too. It was just a dream come true, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’ve learned a lot. I grew a lot on and off the field. I don’t think people would know me if it wasn’t for Pirates. It’s a huge institution.”
At 35, Mntambo is showing no signs of slowing down, and he remains an integral part of Sekhukhune’s arsenal. Retirement is nowhere near his mind. The midfield enforcer is adamant that he can still push for a few seasons with a healthy lifestyle.
With his charisma and confidence, Mntambo will likely make the grade in whatever path he takes post his playing days. His love for fashion is massive, and it wouldn’t come as a surprise if he were to make a mark in the fashion world. The man City Press described as arguably the most stylish player in the PSL reveals he harbours ambitions of venturing into the fashion world in future.
MNTAMBO AMPLYIFYING HIS VOICE
“There are no limits when it comes to fashion. I’m just enjoying telling my story, sometimes through fashion, and being able to express how I feel. I want to study fashion more seriously in the near future. That is the work I am doing now. All these designs I am coming up with and putting out there—it is just me learning the game and paying my dues. So, when I decide to launch, at least I would have gained the necessary knowledge. That is why I try to read books, follow people in the fashion industry, and learn from them,” hints the stylish baller.
So far this season, Mntambo and his team have put on solid performances in the Betway Premiership, where they occupy third position on the table. With injuries kept at bay, the Sekhukhune skipper is enjoying a rich vein of form. That things are running for him on and off the pitch might have Mntambo amplifying his voice. In his world, the golden voice.
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Written by Hosea Ramphekwa
