Popular showboating sensation Xolani ‘Blackberry’ Nkala believes a widespread misconception among coaches and clubs has ultimately hindered his career in professional football.
The 30-year-old dribbling wizard, who built a cult following across South African township tournaments, has previously featured in the Motsepe Foundation Championship for outfits including Mbombela United, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila [TTM], and JDR Stars.
After short-lived stints in the second tier, Nkala now turns out for SAFA Gauteng ABC Motsepe League side RRR Rams FC—a club owned by former Orlando Pirates striker Rudzani Ramudzuli.
Despite his current spell in the lower division, Nkala remains determined to secure a move back to top-flight football. However, he insists that talent evaluators fail to see past viral social media clips that showcase only his viral showboating moments.
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“I think they judge me because of where I entertain people eKasi [in the townships],” Nkala told FARPost.
“Remember, people eKasi come drinking and enjoying themselves, so they need to enjoy football. In a professional set-up, yes, there are moments where you can entertain, but they judge me based on small clips they see online and not the full, standard match footage.”
Nkala believes that coaches overlook his overall tactical contribution and winning pedigree in favour of a narrative that labels him an unserious player.
And despite now being in his 30s, the attacker remains convinced he has what it takes to play in the PSL, holding out hope that coaches and scouts will eventually look past the showboating and recognise his true footballing ability.
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“The moments where we score goals or win tournaments—and I have won almost every tournament in Gauteng—are never shown,” Nkala added.
“All the trending videos are just about showboating, so most coaches judge me solely on that. I’ve had moments where people say, ‘that guy is not serious.’ It’s only because they haven’t seen me play a proper 90 minutes. I believe one day someone will truly understand my game and give me the opportunity to prove myself [in the PSL].”
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