No stopping young Tylon

He is the (unofficial) best under-20 player on the African continent!

The euphoria and exhilaration of winning the Player of the Tournament award at the recent under-20 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) may have simmered down somewhat, but for local soccer star Tylon Smith, the gravitas of his individual achievement is only just settling in. To top it all off, the talented centre-back was part of the South African under-20 team, fondly called Amajita, that made history when they lifted the coveted trophy for the first time, following a 1-0 victory over Morocco in the final in Egypt on Sunday 18 May.

“It was a great honour for me to be part of the victorious South African team,” Smith says. “It was the best experience ever! Playing against Morocco in the final, we had a score to settle, after they defeated SA in the final in 1997. Here we are, 28 years later, getting our sweet revenge… It really was the best experience for me.”

The champions of Africa dominated the individual awards, with Fletcher Lowe winning the Best Goalkeeper Award and coach Raymond Mdaka being named the tourney’s best coach.

The talented footballer, who was born and bred in Jamestown, played an instrumental part in Amajita’s road to the final, especially in the team’s semi-final clash against their Nigerian counterparts. The 20-year-old with the characteristic mop of black and blond curls scored the team’s only goal in the encounter, securing the team’s spot in the final and instantly making waves in soccer circles countrywide.

He describes that moment of finding the back of the net as “exhilirating”, recalling the sheer elation that swept through him.

Celebrations

“Scoring the winning goal to take the team to the final was exhilarating,” Smith, an alumnus of Stellenzicht Secondary School, recalls. “Imagine the rush of adrenaline as you score, followed by the celebrations with your teammates. It’s a moment of pure joy and relief, especially if your team has worked hard to reach that point. And the goal was not scored against just any team, but against Nigeria’s ‘Flying Eagles’, which made it all so much more rewarding.”

Smith may not have replicated that pivotal semi-final moment in the final, but his overall performance throughout the Afcon tournament impressed so much that he was awarded the competition’s top individual prize, an accolade that he is humbled and honoured to have received. But he admits, he was surprised when his name was called at the prize-giving after the final.

“To be honest, in such big tournaments the Player of the Tournament trophy is never given to a centre-back; it is mostly awarded to attacking players like strikers and midfielders,” he points out.

“When my name was called, my heart was filled with joy. It means so much to me, because in a way, the award does not only recognise me as the best player of the tournament, but also in my age group in the whole of Africa.

Challenges Faced

“Receiving an award of this calibre is a tremendous honor and great motivation. Since receiving it, I have been reminded of the challenges that I have faced on my journey and how I have managed to overcome these through hard work and perseverance to be the best version of myself and reach my full potential. I am also reminded of the saying, ‘Work in silence; let your success be your noise’. Today I am able to say that my successes are noisy.”

His proud parents shared in his elation, walking the road with the soccer star from youth football, to him signing his first professional soccer contract with Stellenbosch FC to his recent success on the continental stage. “My parents were so happy for me. They also know how hard I have worked to get to this point, and how dedicated I am when it comes to my soccer,” Smith says.

“My mother has always prayed for me, especially during the Afcon tournament, and I cannot thank her enough.”

Smith and the rest of the Amajita squad are now shifting their focus to preparing for the Fifa u-20 Soccer World Cup, which will be held in Chile in September and October. The defender is looking forward to again donning the green and gold on a global stage, labelling the opportunity to participate in the global football showpiece as “an incredible honour”.