Banyana Banyana Coach Desiree Ellis to Receive Order of Ikhamanga From President Cyril Ramaphosa

• Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis lifted the perennial bridesmaids into the champions of African football in 2022
• For her actions, the legendary former captain of the senior women's national football team will be honoured by president Cyril Ramaphosa
• She will be part of a select group of citizens as well as foreigners who will be bestowed with the Order of Ikhamanga by the head of state

Desiree Ellis is receiving her flowers as timeously as is possible.

The Banyana Banyana coach was named by President Cyril Ramaphosa as a recipient of the Order of Ikhamanga for her services to football, including guiding the team to winning the 2022 Women Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco last July.

As per the presidency's website, the Order of Ikhamanga is awarded to South African citizens who have excelled in the fields of arts, culture, literature, music, journalism or sport. This award is divided into three categories: for exceptional achievement, the Order is awarded in gold. It is awarded in silver for excellent achievement, and in bronze for outstanding achievement.

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Speaking to the Sunday World, Ellis said of the honour:

"I am super blessed but at the same time very emotional. Football is a team sport and this award is not about me but everyone who contributed to the success of Banyana Banyana, from the players, the technical staff, as well as the backroom staff. I am so happy because this is huge, getting this national honour is like getting a knighthood.’’

Ellis bullish over WC preparations

Winning the WAFCON automatically booked South Africa's place at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup to be hosted by New Zealand and Australia in July and August. Ellis appears to be happy with the progress that her squad has made in preparation for the global showpiece event.

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SABC Sport reported Ellis as saying:

“We are looking at having another five-day camp like we did now in April, in May, and looking at having a longer camp in June. Of course, we can get a little fitter than what we currently are, but it's a huge improvement. We were still making runs into the box in the 90+ minutes, and that is what you want to see.

"There was one incident where we had gone up for an attacking corner and when they got the ball, everybody [was] sprinting back to try to get into position. So we all know what's at stake so, those are the things that we still need to fine-tune and make sure we're in better physical condition, but also tactically and technically better.”