In this episode of The COSAFA Show we have an exclusive interview with Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand that starts on July 20.

Ellis, a three-time winner of the CAF Women’s Coach of the Year award, will take South Africa to their second global finals having debuted in 2019.

She discusses that feat, their draw at the finals Down Under and the growth of women’s football since she debuted for the national side 30 years ago.

“I’d say we are in a reasonable group, although I’m not underestimating the teams,” Ellis says. “But we could have had the U.S. or England, or Germany like we had in France four years ago. Those are top 10 countries.

“Sweden are now ranked number three and not for nothing. They did so well at the Euros and got silver at the last Olympics. Italy are a rising force, and Argentina too. They’ll be wanting to try to emulate the main the men’s team!

“But we’ve got to look at what we’ve learned from four years ago and how our players have matured tremendously over the last four years, and hopefully that can carry us through, but nonetheless, it’s not going to be easy.”